


The Cold Light of Morning

by Clea2011



Series: His [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Forbidden Love, Knotting, M/M, Magic Revealed, Omega Verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-06
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2017-12-31 17:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1034186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clea2011/pseuds/Clea2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Uther had plans for Arthur.  They didn't involve him choosing his own omega.  They certainly didn't involve him choosing a servant for that role.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Cold Light of Morning

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter written for the Camelot Drabble prompt 'Storm'.

There was something in the air that morning.  A certain tension, as if a storm was brewing. 

Arthur hadn't appeared for breakfast, but that wasn't entirely surprising now that he had a personal servant to wait on him hand and foot.  Uther hoped his son was running the boy ragged, finding fault with everything and generally exerting his authority over the scrawny beta.  It was what Uther always did, whenever he got a new manservant.  They soon found an excuse to leave his service, some quite creatively, and then he got to do it all over again.  It was perfect.  The latest one was particularly dire, overly nervous and dropping things all the time.  There was probably going to be a flogging in his future.  Uther was rather looking forward to it. 

Still, there was something not quite right that morning, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Morgana swept into the room, beautifully elegant in an emerald green gown.  She spoke gently to the servant who brought her food.  He didn't tremble so much when he served Morgana, Uther noticed.

"Where's Arthur?" she asked.  "Out with his knights already?"

"Breaking in that new servant of his, I assume.  The boy looked barely competent."

"Then it was cruel of you to make him Arthur's servant.  He did save his life.  A bag of gold would have been kinder."

Uther smiled, chewing on the freshly roasted pork that had been put in front of him.  Kind wasn't really his thing.

"I think an omega went into heat here yesterday," Morgana told him, changing the subject.  "The scent was amazing.  Some lucky alpha must have claimed them fast though, it faded very quickly."

"You mean in the town?" Uther checked.  "You _do_ mean in the town, Morgana?"

"I was walking with Gwen across the courtyard.  The omega was inside the castle."

Uther frowned.  "When was this?"

"Early in the evening.  We'd just come back from our ride."

Uther didn't care what Morgana had been doing.  Someone had blatantly flaunted the laws.  No omega within a few weeks of coming into their heat was permitted anywhere near the castle.  "Has there been a search?  Was Arthur there?"

"No, it was just Gwen and I..."

"Did you tell any of the knights?  Has there been a search?  Do we know who brought it into the castle?"

"No, but..."

" You!" He called over his servant.  "Fetch Sir Leon immediately."

As the servant scuttled away, he glared at Morgana.  "You should have told me at once.  An unclaimed omega in heat... what if Arthur had found it first?"

"Omegas are people too," Morgana pointed out, but Uther wasn't listening.

Uther had plans for Arthur.  They mostly involved an advantageous bond with one of the omega daughters of rival leaders.  Princess Elena would do nicely, though he was holding out in case the rumour was true about Lord Bayard, Mercia's ruler, siring an omega that had been hidden away.  The bigger the kingdom the better as far as Uther was concerned, and they didn't come any bigger than Mercia.  If there was an omega heir then whichever alpha they mated would be ruler of the kingdom.  Arthur wouldn't object.  The first time he encountered an omega in heat it would be completely irresistible and overwhelming, and Uther was determined that he would be the one choosing that omega, not his son.  There would be no chance of Arthur refusing the match, he would be too overcome.

Which was why Uther was furious at the thought of some alpha member of the court sneaking their ripe omega into Camelot.  It was flaunting the rules right in front of Uther's nose.  He'd find the omega, have them executed on the spot, and then see how the alpha coped with that.  He knew well the pain of losing a bonded omega, Ygraine's loss was as bitter to him now as it was on the day she died.  It would be an example to others and a warning that it was never to happen again.

Perhaps it might seem harsh to others, but Uther hadn't held his position as king for all those years by being seen as weak and easy-going.   Arthur would thank him when he inherited the most powerful kingdom in Albion.

Morgana should have told someone, he expected better from her.  But then, she didn't understand the danger, probably thought it was amusing. 

Sir Leon arrived quickly, breathing heavily as if he'd been running.  As he should do, when summoned by the king.

"Sire?"

"The lady Morgana says she sensed an omega here last night."

Leon looked puzzled.  "There are several working in the castle..."

"In _heat_ , Leon!"  He saw the knight's face pale in comprehension.  "You and your men will hunt it down and bring it to me along with the alpha responsible.  And keep Arthur away from it.  Morgana, whereabouts was the scent coming from?"

"The West Tower, I think."

It couldn't have been worse.  "Arthur's rooms are in the West Tower."  He looked at the empty setting at the table.   "You didn't think of that, you silly girl?  You didn't think, while you were giggling with your _servant_ , that my son, my _heir_ could have been subjected to some plot...  It'll be Godwyn, he's brought Elena in to secure Arthur.  Damn!" He slammed his fist down on the table, furious.  "If we've lost our chance at Mercia and have to settle for that stupid girl, I'll make him regret it!"     

Uther strode towards the door, barely giving the servants time to open it for him before he marched through, Leon and Morgana hurrying along behind him.

It could be worse, he told himself.  He'd rage at Godwyn, but eventually relent and allow the match.  For certain considerations in the form of various parcels of disputed lands.  It could be much worse.  Still, he was going to give Arthur and that little strumpet a piece of his mind.  Arthur wouldn't want to cross his father again in a hurry.

Assuming it _was_ Elena...  Anything else didn't bear thinking about.

\---

Merlin lay back in the huge, deliciously soft and comfortable bed.  His heat was calming a little now, and his new mate was more relaxed, curled around him and clinging to him possessively.  The onset of his heat had been a shock, he hadn't been due for many weeks.  Gaius was brewing him a remedy so that he could continue work.  He was never supposed to have gone into heat within the walls of Camelot.  He gazed down at the golden hairs on the strong arm that was holding him close.  It was Arthur's proximity that had done it.  Something about Arthur had set him off.  There were stories of that happening if a bond was meant to be.  Too late to do anything about it now.

It was well into the morning.  Merlin was surprised nobody had disturbed them yet.  Surely soon somebody would notice the prince was missing?  And then they would come looking, and find them...  For all the reassurances Arthur had murmured in his ear the previous night, Merlin knew they wouldn't be allowed to continue.  _He_ wouldn't be allowed to continue.  There were penalties for breaking the law, for being in Camelot close to your heat cycle.  Worse even than for being a sorcerer, and Merlin was damned on both counts.

"You're thinking too loudly," Arthur whispered, nuzzling at the darkening mark on his neck.  It hurt just a little, but it was a good hurt and just the feel of his alpha's mouth on him again was starting to bring on another onset of his heat. 

"Arthur?"

"Mmm... I know, I can smell it on you.  Gods, you smell better than anything."

Not possible, because nothing could smell better than Arthur.  After a long night together the salt taste of his skin was sharper, their mingled scents unique and forever entwined.  The rising heat was starting to cloud Merlin's judgement again, block out everything else except his need and Arthur.  It was difficult to fight, but he had to.

"We can't stay here," he gasped.  Arthur was over him, lifting him, turning him.  For a moment Merlin couldn't remember why he wouldn't want to lie back, submissive.  If Arthur tied him again they'd be trapped.  "We need to find somewhere safe, somewhere hidden."

"We're mated," Arthur reminded him, and bit down on his neck again, very gently this time, just to remind him.  "You're mine.  Father will rage for a while, but he won't harm you."

Merlin wished he believed that.  "Arthur..."

Arthur wasn't listening.  "I thought omegas were supposed to be quiet and submissive," he teased.   The warmth of Arthur's eager body pressing against Merlin's was like a drug, making his blood sing out.  But there was something else, something louder, distracting.

"What's that noise?"

It was footsteps, many of them, thundering down the stone corridor.  Arthur was slower to respond, distracted by his need for his omega.  Then they both heard Uther shouting orders.  He sounded angry.

"He's going to break the door down!" Merlin twisted under Arthur, trying to get free.  His movements were sluggish, his body unresponsive to any commands that didn't involve kneeling on all fours and presenting himself.  There was something hitting the door forcefully.  It shook, but didn't give way. 

"Arthur!  Open up!"

Arthur glared at the door, furious at the interruption.  He held Merlin down, despite his lover's squirming beneath him, and yelled at Uther to go away. 

There was a moment's silence outside the door, and then the battering started anew, far more forcefully.  This time the door fell in with a crash, and the dark figure of the king stood there, staring at them.  For a moment he was frozen in place, taking it in.

"The _serving boy!_ "  In four strides Uther was across the room, his face a mask of fury.  The anger was radiating off him in waves.

Merlin scrabbled for the sheets, trying to cover them.   It almost made things worse, the bedding was spattered and stained with the evidence of the way they'd spent the night.  As Uther closed in he gave up, electing to cower behind Arthur instead.  The alpha fury on both sides was almost tangible.

"Arthur..."  At least, that was what he tried to say.  All that came out of Merlin's mouth was a low whine of fear.  He clung to Arthur, trembling.  He could feel the rage on Arthur too.  Two angry alphas.  It was terrifying. 

"What have you done, you stupid boy?" Uther snarled at his son. 

"I have a right to take a mate," Arthur snapped back.  "And it's done.  Leave us."

"Leave you?  _Leave you_?" Uther leaned in, his face just inches from Arthur.  It was horrible, _horrible._   Merlin pressed his face close to Arthur's chest, shaking with fear.  He wanted to run and hide, but couldn't leave Arthur.  He wanted to unleash his magic and use it to protect them both, but that wasn't an option if he wanted to keep his head.  And he did want to keep his head, now that he had such a wonderful thing to live for.

"Do you _know_ how many high-born omegas have been presented to me in the hope I'll allow you to mate them?  Some came with whole kingdoms as their dowry!"

"I'm not a bargaining chip.  I've made my choice."

"A _servant!_   Give him up, Arthur.  Give him up, we'll send him home and say nothing more of it."

"He's mine, we're bonded, you're too late," Arthur told his father defiantly.  Try to separate us, see where it gets you.  I'll just leave, take him with me."

Merlin wasn't expecting Uther to backhand his son for his insolence.  Neither, it seemed, was Arthur.  He reeled from the blow and in that moment Uther roared at the guards that they should seize the omega. 

There was a struggle, more than half the men Uther had brought were needed to hold down Arthur whilst Merlin was forced away from him, both of them struggling and fighting for all they were worth.

"I'll separate you," Uther growled.  "I'll show your omega what real heat's like."

Merlin gave a whine half of fear, half of need to be back with Arthur.  His heat had subsided with the violent incursion, but not enough.  It was rising again, and never mind that he was on his knees in front of a crowd of alphas.  He couldn't even see Arthur, who was almost buried beneath a group of knights.

"Take that down to the dungeons.  He'll burn as soon as the pyre's built."

"No!  You can't do that!"  Arthur yelled.  "He's mine!  Mine!"  Merlin saw several of the knights holding him flinching, and knew Arthur was fighting them, hurting them any way he could in order to get free. 

Merlin kicked at his own captors, but they had him held fast.  He tried to raise his magic, but something, perhaps his heat, was stopping it.  He was literally powerless, kicking and struggling was all he had left to him.  It was to no avail, he found himself being dragged away by the stronger alphas, the sounds of Arthur's screams and protests and Uther's raging fading.

The cell they threw him into was cold, but that wasn't the worst thing.

Merlin shuffled into the furthest corner of the cell.  One of the men who had dragged him down there was starting to sniff the air...


	2. The Cell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Camelot Drabble prompt 83 'Commitment'

Merlin wasn't used to feeling so helpless.  His magic had always been a powerful weapon, and he'd never, ever been unable to use it before.  He hated the feeling, and hated more the waves of need that were still washing over him, calling out to Arthur to come and claim him again.  A couple of knights, both probably alphas, were staying right there in the cell with him.  He had no illusions about the danger they presented.  The scent he knew he was still giving off would drive them to take him and he had no hope of getting away.  It would be a horrible way to spend his last few hours. 

Most of his captors had gone almost immediately after dumping him in the cell.  After all, Merlin thought, he wasn't much of a risk, a harmless little omega stuck in the middle of his heat.  Even if they'd known about his magic, it wasn't going to help him get out of this one.

He'd gone into heat before, but it had never been like this.  It had never taken away his magic for one thing.  Nor had it come on unexpectedly, weeks early, or as fast.  Arthur Pendragon had a lot to answer for, he thought.  Merlin would have done anything to have him there now.  Just his presence would make Merlin feel safer.  Which was stupid, he knew, because Arthur had been right there when he'd been taken, and he'd not been able to do anything.  But Arthur had to come and get him out of there, he had to. 

The two knights remained, both watching him.  One of them was definitely sniffing the air now, making no secret of it.  Worse, they were showing no signs of wanting to leave the cell.

Merlin tried to curl up in the corner.  Nobody had bothered to bring his clothing, too concerned with holding Arthur down whilst Merlin was dragged away.  The cell was cold anyway, but the stone floor on his bare skin just made it worse. 

The taller knight unclasped his cloak, and moved closer, standing over him.  Merlin gave a little whine of distress and tried to press himself further into the unyielding wall.  His heat wasn't even giving him the mercy of simply being blind _want_ any more, which would have made it easier.  No, it had tasted Arthur, and now it was totally and utterly committed to Arthur.  The touch of any other alpha would be totally repugnant.

"Please don't do this," he gasped.  "I'm Arthur's.  _Arthur's._ "

The man was looming over him, huge and terrifying, and the other one was right behind him.  Merlin twisted away, trying desperately to cover himself.   If they saw his state of arousal they'd believe they were justified in what they were going to do.  And then later, after they burned him, these men might tell Arthur what else they'd done, just to make him feel even more wretched. 

The taller man was crouching in front of him now, still with his cloak in his hands.  It occurred to Merlin that he was going to use it as a blanket so that he wouldn't have to lower himself to touch the floor of the cell.  They were all nobles, after all. 

"I'm Arthur's," he whispered again, trembling.

"We know that," the knight told him.  He was holding out the cloak, starting to drape it around Merlin, being surprisingly gentle.  "We can smell him on you.  That's a strong bond you've made."

"You reek of him," the other one added.   "It's pretty disgusting, like a massive warning to stay away, so don't worry, we're not going to harm you... Well..." He trailed off, apparently not quite sure what to say.  "Not...until..."

"Gwaine!" there was a warning tone in the knight's voice.

"Sorry." 

The taller man stood up, and took a step back.  "Arthur's going to be king one day.  It's a bad mistake, taking his bonded omega like this.   He won't ever recover from it."  He looked down at Merlin.  "What were you thinking of, coming into the castle in your heat?  Going near the prince?  Did you really think King Uther would accept it?"

Merlin just shook his head.  It was difficult to find the words, and felt like too much to explain.  It had been an accident.  It had been because of Arthur.  Everything was because of Arthur now, as far as he was concerned.  Gods, he wanted Arthur.  He couldn't answer them, and eventually they stopped trying to talk to him.

The knights kept talking to each other.  He couldn't really concentrate on what they were saying.  And then they were leaving the cell and anyway they weren't Arthur.  They didn't matter.  He tried to reach out with his magic again to his alpha, but nothing happened.

"Arthur," he whispered. 

He thought the taller knight, the one with the reddish-blond curls, looked over at him pityingly as he locked the cell door.  

And then he was alone.  There was sunlight streaming in through the tiny window high above him, lighting the grimy little cell.  Outside he could hear people calling to each other, could hear snatches of what they were saying.  They were talking about a burning.  About burning him.

It would be nothing, not compared to the way he burned for Arthur.  Merlin curled in on himself, trying to fight his heat and damp down his fear.  He needed his heat to end.  He needed his magic back so he could get out of there.  And most of all he needed Arthur.      

\---

Sir Leon had always had a very strong sense of what was right, and he was fairly certain that killing the prince's bonded omega wasn't it.  He waited outside the omega's cell with Gwaine, standing guard as ordered.

"If Uther does this, it's going to have consequences."

"It will for that poor omega,"  Gwaine agreed.  "Do you think his heat's going to disorientate him so much he won't really know what's happening to him?"

Leon stared at the closed door to Merlin's cell.  "I doubt it.  I'm sorry for the omega, but I'm more worried about what it's going to do to Arthur.  You could smell it in there as clearly as I could.  They've bonded."

"Just as well.  Not sure I could stand out here for however long we have to if there was a ripe, unclaimed omega in there!"  Gwaine gave a little sniff, then grinned.  "There's still a taste of it in the air, even now." 

Gwaine always had to make light of everything.  It was one of many things that Leon found very trying about him.  But he was a good man, and there weren't many Leon would trust with his thoughts on this.

"Who does Uther listen to?"

Gwaine shrugged.  "Arthur, occasionally.  He won't be listening to him this time.  Gaius, sometimes.  But the omega was his ward or something.  He'd do better to lay low for a while.   Lady Morgana?"

"She's out of favour too, she didn't raise the alarm about the omega in time."  Leon settled himself down on the bench outside the cell, shifting to make room for Gwaine.  There wasn't a lot they could do for their friend, wherever he had been taken, but at least they could protect his omega for a little while.   "Uther should know better than to do this.  He lost a bonded omega, he knows what that does to an alpha."

"Maybe he thinks it's early enough to break the bond."

Leon shook his head.  "The only thing it's going to break is our future king's heart.  Permanently.  It's going to affect his ability to rule one day."

"Like it affects Uther's?"

Leon looked at him sharply.  Sometimes Gwaine was a little too careless with his words, though there were only the two of them to hear.  And he was right. 

"Perhaps.  There must be someone he'd listen to."

"Someone sensible and rational, someone high born and respected.  Someone deeply dull."

The dark-haired knight was always so flippant, no matter what.  Sometimes Leon wanted to slap him. 

"I suppose so."

Gwaine pursed his lips thoughtfully.  "Well," he said eventually.  "There's always you."

Leon was fairly certain that Uther would be even less likely to listen to him than to the others.  But at least he was still in favour.  There was, he supposed, no harm in trying. 

\---

 


	3. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Camelot Drabble prompt 'interest'.

Morgana had never understood why people enjoyed watching a burning so much.  Everything about it was repugnant to her - the killing, the suffering, the reason it usually happened... 

This time it wouldn't be for the crime of sorcery, but that didn't make it any better.  She felt responsible.  If only she hadn't spoken so carelessly, if only she had considered Arthur's absence and the direction that the omega's scent had been coming from then things could have been different.

Arthur was annoying, there was no getting away from it, but she wouldn't wish something like this on him.  If she was honest, she liked him.  He wasn't like his father, he was kinder, more honest.  One day she hoped he might prove to be more lenient in his outlook on sorcery. 

Something like this could change him forever.  She'd followed Uther down to Arthur's chambers and had seen the way he'd fought and screamed as they took his omega from him.  That was bad enough, but since then she could hear a distant thud, steady and regular.   She knew it was Arthur, trying desperately to free himself from the room where they'd imprisoned him, probably doing all kinds of harm to himself in the process. 

Even if he escaped there would be a dozen guards outside the door ready to recapture him.  Arthur was a great warrior, the best, but even he surely couldn't take on that many of them.  The only contact Arthur was ever going to have with that omega was having the smell of his burning flesh wafting in on the breeze.  It was a foul smell.  A foul act.

Outside, down in the courtyard she could see the pyre being built.  There were people starting to gather, hurrying for the best seats.  Their sick fascination with the burning was incomprehensible.

"My lady?"

She hadn't even heard Gwen enter the room, too caught up in her own thoughts.

"What is it?"

"The king, my lady.  He's asking for you."

They were building the pyre quickly.  Doubtless Uther wanted to tell her that she would be accompanying him.  With Arthur indisposed, she would be the person who had to stand beside the king, showing her support and approval. 

Approval.  One day, if he ever found out her secret, it might be her out there.  Her position was unlikely to grant her much in the way of mercy.  Uther Pendragon didn't do mercy, he was proving it in his actions that day.  If anything her punishment would be harder, crueller because he would feel betrayed over the fact that he had a sorceress under his own roof.

Gwen knew about the dreams she had, the visions that made her wake screaming in the night.  Her maid never judged, but Morgana knew the king would not be so kind.  One day that pyre would be for her.  Gwen was taking Morgana's hands in her own now, reassuring and supportive.  It was confirmation, as if she needed it, of Uther's intentions.  Worse, her vision the night before had been of a sorcerer standing in front of the throne of Camelot, eyes blazing a fiery gold.  It had been the eyes that mesmerised her, but she thought now that he looked a little like the servant boy, the omega.

So much for the golden eyed sorcerer.  Her vision must have been a warning of the omega's death and the gold was the fire that would kill him.  She hadn't heeded that warning.   But then she had been convinced the vision had showed her a sorcerer.   Obviously it hadn't, if the omega had such power then he would have already escaped.

There was a loud crash from the direction of the room where they'd imprisoned Arthur.  She wondered if he'd finally managed to break down the door.  The shouting that she could hear implied that he might have done.  She winced at the sound of someone crying out in pain.

"Gwen... This is my fault.  I never thought it could be Arthur."

"We both thought it was one of Uther's guests," Gwen reassured her.  "We laughed at it, remember?  Lord Arwen definitely sneaked his omega in the other night, George was complaining about having to clean up the next day.  It was logical to think it might have happened again."

Dear, sweet Gwen.   Morgana couldn't confess to her that she'd done it out of malice, not liking the advances of Lord Arwen or the other nobles that had accompanied his visit to Camelot.  She had wanted to make them pay for the way they behaved towards her.   Instead it was Arthur who was paying, along with an innocent servant.    So she just nodded grimly, nursing her guilt, and went in search of the king.

\---

Uther, as expected, was not receptive to Leon's plea.  He barely let the man finish before brushing him aside, not interested in hearing what he had to say.  It hadn't helped that Agravaine had heard what was going on and arrived in Camelot to offer his support to his brother-in-law.   

Leon didn't entirely trust Agravaine.  There seemed something a little too convenient about his sudden appearance.  There was something slightly cruel about the way he had given a little smirk as Leon had hesitantly broached the subject of the fact Arthur was clearly bonded to the omega and killing him now might prove harmful to the prince.  Then, after Uther's abrupt dismissal of the idea, Agravaine had not let the subject lie.  From anyone else, perhaps it would have been seen as helpful, but somehow Leon didn't think that was Agravaine's intention.

"I'm interested in how you think this will help," Agravaine commented.  "Surely if we spare the omega the bond will deepen and things will worsen?  Would a clean break not be easier on the prince in the long run?"

"I just feel that if the omega is killed and we regret it later then there's no way back."  He glanced at Morgana, who nodded encouragingly and he took heart from that.  "If the omega was sent far away then at least he could be retrieved if the prince found his loss unbearable." 

"Retrieved?"  Uther, it seemed, was still listening after all.  "There will never be a time when a _servant_ could be considered as a match for my son!"

"But if Arthur can't bear to lose him..." Morgana began.

" _Enough!_ " Uther roared, silencing her.  "You!"  He pointed at Leon.  "Get out!"

Leon knew there was nothing further he could accomplish, and he wasn't suicidal enough to try.  He headed for the door, hearing Uther complaining about unmated alphas who had no idea what they were talking about, and walked faster.

"This must be so very trying for you, Uther," Leon heard Agravaine murmur sympathetically as the door closed behind him.    

Leon headed back to the dungeons where he'd left Gwaine guarding the omega.  Although the serving boy was in no state to attempt an escape there was always the risk that someone would decide that it didn't matter if a condemned omega in heat was bonded or not.   Once, shamefully, it had been one of the knights, breaking every code of chivalry.  There were, he hoped, none left in Camelot who would behave that way now.

 "Leon!"

He stopped, hearing Owain's call.  Turning, he saw the younger knight was sporting a massive bruise on his face, his lip cut and bleeding.

"What happened?" he asked, already suspecting he knew the answer.

Owain wiped his mouth on his sleeve, wincing at the blood.  "Arthur's escaped."

Which meant that the omega wasn't the only person in the dungeons who was in mortal peril. 

Leon broke into a run.


	4. The Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt 'relief'

Gwaine paced nervously outside the omega's cell.  Leon wasn't back yet, and he was starting to worry about how things might have gone.  There was only the slightest chance that the king would listen to him, but they'd had to take it.

Years ago, long before he'd come to Camelot, Gwaine had served as a squire in another kingdom far away.  He had been happy enough there at first, working his way towards training to become a knight.  The knight he was squiring was a good man, a strong fighter and an excellent swordsman.   Young Gwaine had admired him, and wanted to become just like him.  Then the man had taken an omega, and for a while everything had carried on being just fine.  Until a few months later, when there had been an attack on the castle and the omega had been one of the casualties.

People said it had been a soul bond, because although it was rare for the omega to have magic, if one did then sometimes the bond happened.  It had made their love stronger and their commitment to each other deeper and sweeter.  And in turn it had made the loss unbearable, changing Gwaine's mentor forever.  He had still been a strong fighter, still been an excellent swordsman, but it was as if his soul had twisted into something dark and bitter and the man Gwaine had admired was gone forever.  Gwaine learned to fear him.  Perhaps the experience had made him tougher and stronger in turn, but the rest of his time at that castle was something he tried not to dwell on. 

Arthur reminded him a little of that knight, of how he used to be.  It was one of the reasons Gwaine stayed, the fact that he knew he was led by a good man of noble heart, who one day would be a great king.  He knew Leon felt the same, and that was why he was up there now in the throne room, trying to offer good counsel to the king.  This couldn't be a soul bond, because no magical omega was going to sit around and wait for Uther to burn them, even if they were foolish enough to enter the gates of Camelot in the first place.  Even so, it was going to hit Arthur very hard.

Gwaine didn't want to wait around and watch another good man fall apart.  He wished Leon would hurry back.  He was half-tempted to suggest that the pair of them took the omega and got out of there, let Arthur catch up with them later.  But then, Arthur would probably think they'd stolen his mate and run them both through before they could explain.

Finally, he heard footsteps on the stone stairway leading down to the dungeons.  It didn't sound like Leon's heavy boots, it was more of a shuffling soft-shoed walk.  A moment later the elderly physician came into view, come down to see his ward.  Gwaine relaxed a little, though he was half-expecting a swarm of guards to take the omega to the pyre at any moment. 

"Gaius.  It's not a good time to be visiting the cells."

Gaius waved off his concern.  "I want to see Merlin, let me in please."

The omega was up on his feet as soon as he heard Gaius' voice, pulling Leon's cloak around him as best he could and hurrying across to the cell door.  There didn't seem to be any danger on either side so Gwaine just shrugged and unlocked it.

"Thank you." Gaius stepped inside and held out his arms.  The omega immediately went to him.  "Oh, my poor boy, what have they done to you?"

"Hey, we've tried to protect him," Gwaine pointed out indignantly.  "Leon's up there now trying to convince the king not to burn him."

"Hmm.  Brave.  Uther's in a rage, he's not going to listen to anyone at the moment."  Gaius told him.   He let go of the boy, pushing him back a little so that he could see his condition.  "Hasn't anyone even brought you any clothes?"

"The other knight gave me his cloak."  The omega was swamped in the folds of red fabric.  "Gaius, my heat came early, there wasn't any warning!  This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"Don't worry, we'll think of something."  Gaius gave a light sniff of the air.  "That's a strong bond.  You reek of Arthur, it's quite revolting.  And you're still in heat?"

"Yes!  And it's blocking my... stopping the _thing._ "

Gwaine raised an eyebrow.  That admission could have a range of meanings and he wasn't sure he knew what any of them were.  Gaius seemed to understand, however, and instantly looked more concerned.

"Completely?"

The omega nodded.

"Well... that's not the best news.  I'll work on a suppressant and get it down to you as fast as I can."  He looked at the cloak.  "Perhaps some clothes might be a good idea as well."

"Just mix up the suppressant or I'm not going to need clothes!  Hurry!" 

"Don't worry," Gaius patted the omega on the shoulder comfortingly.

"Go!  The king said he's going to burn me!"

"We'll sort this out," Gaius promised, giving a reassuring smile.  It was gone the moment he turned his back on the omega.

Gwaine opened the door for the old physician, then locked it again and followed him to the steps.

"What's his heat stopping?" he asked, curious.

Gaius just waved a hand as if whatever it was were nothing.  "Just a medical condition he has.  Omega physiology.  I'll be back soon."

That didn't really answer anything.  The omega had been quite chatty once his mentor had arrived, Gwaine thought, so he went back to lean against the cell door and try to engage him in conversation.

"So, what's this thing your heat is blocking then?"

The omega didn't answer.  He walked back to the corner of the cell and settled himself back down.

"Come on, Leon's sticking his neck out for you.  If there's something wrong you should tell us.  We're on your side."

"You're on Arthur's side.  I'm not deaf.  But thank you for what you're trying to do.  I had..." The omega stopped, and sniffed the air.  At the same moment Gwaine was aware of footsteps running down the steps.  That definitely wasn't Gaius.

"Arthur!"  Merlin was back at the door of the cell in an instant, rattling it, trying to get to his alpha.  His relief at seeing Arthur was evident in his voice.  However, Gwaine wasn't particularly interested in what the omega was doing any more.  There were other more pressing matters to worry about, namely the fact that there was a desperate, furious alpha bearing down on him with an already bloodied sword in his hands.

"Get away from him!"

Gwaine didn't need telling.  He didn't know whose blood was on that sword, but he didn't intend adding his own to it.  He threw the keys to Arthur, and darted to one side whilst the prince was distracted, using the opportunity to head for the stairs.

He had few illusions that he was going to make it.

\---


	5. Breakout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt Autumn. Or, at least the first scene was!

It hadn't been the worst day of Uther's life, but it was certainly way, way up there in the top five and rising.  Arthur, usually so capable and reliable, if perhaps a little headstrong at times, had completely lost his head over the wretched omega serving boy.  Uther hadn't liked locking his son up, but there had really been no other option.  It had taken six knights to restrain Arthur.  Infuriating though it was, Uther still took a certain pride in that fact.  His son was strong, a fighter.  He had all the makings of a great king.

Perhaps it would have been easier if they'd just run the omega through there and then, had it over and done with?  But there were laws in Camelot, and if such a fundamental one was broken then there were consequences, and those consequences had to be made plain for all to see.  That would discourage it from ever happening again.  Burning the omega like the common criminal he was would send a message throughout the kingdom. 

Not that the law really mattered now, the damage was done.  Arthur was going to be far less pliable when the time came for him to take whichever omega Uther chose for him.  There was a high risk he would try to reject them, cause a scene.  All over a stupid servant.

Uther was a warrior king.  He had gained most of his lands not through inheritance but through battle.  Such kings never lived to a grand old age.  Uther knew that he was already well into the autumn of his reign, heading fast towards winter and the inevitable finale.  And then would come Arthur's time.  He would need to be strong and decisive, and he would need to make a good alliance with his chosen omega.  Or rather, with the omega Uther had chosen for him.  If Uther had ever had any doubts that he was doing the right thing in ensuring Arthur was kept away from the wrong sort of omega then they had been dispelled that morning.  Arthur might be ready in every other way to be king, but in this his judgement had proved sadly lacking.

A Pendragon would never sit on the throne with a _peasant_ as his consort.  Never. 

He must have made a sound, as Agravaine looked at him in concern, but any comment that his brother-in-law might have made was lost in the distraction of some kind of disturbance that was going on in the doorway.  One of the knights hurried inside. 

"Sire." 

Uther regarded the bruised and bloodied man bowing before him with dismay.  Sir Owain was one of the newer knights, competent enough but Uther couldn't recall ever being addressed directly by him before.    It didn't bode well.

"The prince..."  The young knight glanced up nervously, then away.  "He has escaped."

"And you let him?" Uther roared.  "You... how many of you were there guarding him?  All of you, and you couldn't hold back one man?"

Owain winced, and ducked his head, almost cringing away from the furious king.  "Sire, he's the prince.  Without harming him it was impossible..."

"Find him!  Have the entire castle searched."

"He'll have gone after the omega," Agravaine put in smoothly.  "I'm sure that's where you'll find him."

He was right, of course, there was nowhere else Arthur would be. 

"Go!" Uther snarled at the knight.  "I want him found and restrained."

Owain backed out of the room as fast as he could, reached the doorway, turned and fled.

Uther gave a heavy sigh, sinking down on the throne.   "Gods, will this never end?"

Morgana was frowning but Agravaine at least looked sympathetic.  It was good to have him there, have someone who was in complete agreement with everything Uther said.  The excellent man had even provided a few ideas as to how Arthur could deal with the loss of the omega afterwards.    

"Perhaps it will end once Arthur is free of the omega's influence," Agravaine told him.  "If that's the case then I wonder if waiting is wise?  The prince is resourceful and likely to find another escape route even if you secure him again.  He's your son, after all.  Take the omega out and burn it now.  Surely by this time they must have built a pyre fit to burn down a castle?"

It was excellent counsel.  Uther nodded, ignoring Morgana's little gasp of horror from beside him.

"Do it."

The sooner he had his son back, the better.

\---

Arthur glared at the man he had pinned against the wall of the dungeons. 

How dare this creature, this other alpha be down here with what was _his._

"Arthur!"

Merlin was calling to him.  Arthur pressed the blade harder against the other man's throat, seeing a small trickle of blood where he'd broken the skin.  They'd pay, all of them for keeping Merlin from him. 

"Arthur don't!  Please!  He tried to help!"

Slowly Merlin's words started to sink in.  The man... it was Gwaine, one of his knights, though it had taken Arthur a little while to acknowledge that fact, nodded frantically. 

"We've been guarding him for you.  Leon's gone to speak to the king," Gwaine gasped.  "Come on, Arthur, it's me.  You know I would never take what was yours.  He _reeks_ of you."

Merlin was at the door to his cell, pressing against the bars, still telling Arthur to stop.  He was covered in some red garment, it looked like a cloak but luckily for Gwaine it wasn't his.  That would have been too much to stand, the material had been wrapped over his omega's bare skin, and only Arthur was ever to touch that now.   Reluctantly he eased off, letting the knight go.

The knight touched his throat gingerly, then looked at the blood that came away on his hand and winced.  "Thanks."

Arthur didn't acknowledge what was probably sarcasm, snatching up the keys from the floor and hurrying over to Merlin's cell.  Another moment and the door was open, his omega back in his arms.

"I was afraid they'd killed you," he whispered, pressing his face into Merlin's hair.  He didn't want to ever let go.

"Not yet," Merlin told him.  He nestled closer, and it felt so right that just for a moment Arthur forgot about everything else.  The scent of his omega's heat filled his nostrils, soaking down and filling his entire being with _want_.  But that was one thing they couldn't give in to, not whilst they were within the castle and Merlin was in danger.

"Gods, Merlin, you smell so good.  But we need to get out of here, there's no time for this."

"I'd stop it if I could," Merlin gasped.  "You have no idea."

That cut.  He could remember Merlin the night before practically begging Arthur not to claim him.  It was too late now, and Arthur didn't think he could possibly have let him go anyway.  But he had to know.  "Because you don't want to be mated to me?"

His omega shook his head.  "No!  Don't think that, don't ever think that.  But I could get us out.  If we could stop my heat I could get us out of here."

Merlin wasn't talking any sense.  Arthur knew it was just the influence of his heat, maybe the stress of the situation as well.   As if an omega could stand against a group of alphas.

The borrowed cloak smelled far too strongly of another alpha, it was Leon that Arthur could smell.  But there was nothing that could be done about that, Merlin was going to have to stay wrapped in it.  Arthur bit down on the urge to rip it away from him again.  These were his knights, his _loyal_ knights, and even through this they were just trying to help and he was going to need them if he stood any chance of getting his mate to safety. 

There was a little squeak of surprise from behind them.  Arthur turned to see Morgana's serving girl standing there with a pile of clothes in her arms.  Gwaine was standing protectively in front of her.  He hadn't run.  Admirable, given the way he'd treated him, Arthur thought.

"Gaius sent me," she told him, thrusting the clothes towards him.  "These are for Merlin."

"The potion?" Merlin asked.  "Has he finished it?"

Gwen shook her head.  "He says it will take a little while to brew."

Arthur let Merlin take the clothes from the girl, then left him to get changed.  He glared at Gwaine until the knight realised the reason, and turned away.

"I'll go and wait with Gaius for that potion," Gwen told them, and hurried away.

"We can forget about that," Arthur growled.  "We need to get out of here."

"I need the potion," Merlin called, struggling into his tunic. 

"I can cope," Arthur told him.  The heat had definitely lessened, it didn't feel so urgent and desperate as the night before.

"But _I_ need it," Merlin insisted.  "I could help us escape..."

Arthur didn't get the chance to ask how on earth an omega could help.  There were more footsteps on the stairs, and he drew his sword again.  It was a relief to have Gwaine move to stand beside him, and even more of a relief when Leon appeared.  The tall knight looked momentarily shocked to see Arthur, and raised his hands briefly in surrender to prevent any attack.  Arthur lowered his sword.

"The king wouldn't listen to me," Leon told them.  "We're running out of options."

"There's only one."  Arthur glanced back, saw Merlin was almost dressed and was now tying up his boots.  "Merlin and I are leaving here.  Anyone who follows is going to end up banished, or worse.  Go.  You can say I overpowered you."

Gwaine and Leon exchanged a look, then Gwaine shook his head.  "No.  We're coming with you."

"One question," Leon was looking at the bloodied sword Arthur was carrying.  "The knights guarding you... did you kill any of them?"

Truthfully, Arthur couldn't be sure.  His only thought had been to get away from them.  Sometimes after a fight someone who appeared to only have a minor wound would suddenly worsen and die.  Gaius had told him that bleeding could take place inside a body, and that nobody would be able to tell until it was too late.  And blows to the head, those could have all sorts of consequences. 

"I don't know.  I don't think so."

"But you've maimed some?"

"I had to get out.  Bors and Lionel were persistent."

Arthur hadn't got away unscathed, but there was no point in letting any of them know that.  Sir Lionel had struck him across the back of the head with a blow that almost rendered him senseless, and he had a deep cut across his back from Bors' sword.  That was without the other more minor injuries he'd sustained, and the constant pain in his left arm and shoulder from where he had used his body as a battering ram to break down the door.  Everything hurt, and now that the immediate urgent need to find Merlin had abated he was starting to feel it. 

"Bors probably deserved it," Gwaine muttered, though Leon still looked a little concerned. 

"They were only following Uther's orders."

"Ones that we're disobeying," Gwaine pointed out.  "I'm not sticking around to see if the king suddenly decides we're involved in this."    

"Why would he?" Arthur asked.  Merlin appeared at his side and Arthur pulled him closer, putting a possessive arm around his mate's waist. 

"I tried to persuade him to spare your omega," Leon explained.

"And you know how reasonable and broad-minded he is if things haven't gone his way," Gwaine added.  "So, we're out of here, right Leon?"

The tall knight didn't look particularly happy about it, Arthur thought.   But then Leon, unlike Gwaine, had a father to answer to.  A father who from what Arthur could tell was almost as overbearing as Uther could be, no matter how hard Leon tried to be the perfect knight.  The man would no more forgive Leon for this than Uther would forgive Arthur.  Leon wasn't even the eldest son, the heir.  It would be all too easy to cut him off without a trace.   

"You don't have to," Arthur assured him.  "We could make it look convincing, as if you'd put up a fight."

Leon gave a sigh, and just shook his head.  "Let's go."

Arthur wished that he could reassure them that when he was king they'd be rewarded in some way.  But the chances of that ever happening were moving further away.

Making sure Merlin was behind them, protected, Arthur led the way.

\---


	6. The Enchantment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Camelot Drabble prompt 'Arouse'.

Agravaine watched everything that was going on with a pleasure that he had trouble concealing.

Things couldn't be going better.  Arthur was disappointing and infuriating his father in every possible way, and Uther's own inability to accept his son's choice of partner was rapidly widening the rift between them.  All it needed now was someone to provide gentle hints and nudges here and there to further inflame their violent disagreement.  The hot-headed pair would do the rest of the damage to their relationship themselves.

He'd been waiting for something like this to happen.  Uther and Arthur were, in his eyes, jointly responsible for the deaths of both his beloved siblings.  His brother Tristan had attempted to gain revenge for Ygraine's death giving birth to the wayward prince, and he had paid for it with his life.  Agravaine was more careful than his brother.  He had no intention of becoming the third member of his family to fall victim to Uther.

In theory Arthur was his nephew, but Agravaine didn't look upon him as such.  Ygraine couldn't bear children, they'd known that for many years.  So Uther must have done something, struck some bargain with a sorcerer to gain the son and heir he so desperately wanted.  Agravaine had lived around magic for long enough that he recognised the signs, no matter how much Uther might claim to hate magic now.  A life where there should be none, a death when there should have been a healthy living woman. 

For all his claims to love Ygraine, Uther had clearly made a deal that cost her life.  Agravaine wouldn't have been surprised if he had found out that Uther knew his wife would die during Arthur's birth.  Magic always wanted a balance, after all.  Uther might have been punishing her for her failure to produce a natural heir.  Knowing that, it was all Agravaine could do not to lash out when Uther sat with him on his arrival, bleating about how much he had loved Ygraine and how he longed to make peace with her family.  But Agravaine wasn't a man given to physical violence.  Quiet and clever would do just as well for him.

And when the rift between father and son was too deep to ever be reconciled, when Uther was suddenly without an heir once again, that was when Agravaine would move in.  There was the lady Morgana, of course.  Beautiful, clever, unwed Morgana who had no idea that she was anything more to Uther than his friend's daughter.  Her very existence was more proof, if any were needed, of Uther's tendency towards treachery.   With Arthur out of the way it wouldn't take much to persuade Uther to gift him Morgana's hand and the position of heir all in one go.  From that moment onwards Uther's days would be numbered.

Revenge was very, very sweet.

\---

They went to Gaius.

Gwaine had wanted to run, to try to make a break for it and leave the castle before Uther could rouse all the guards to come out and stop them.  Leon had suggested caution, that they should adopt a disguise and try to sneak out quietly.  Arthur knew there were tunnels under the castle.  He thought they should try to get out that way and as he was still the crown prince they did as he said.  But the entrance to the nearest one was guarded, and they all knew the rest were likely to be as well.  One quick look at the number of knights in the courtyard told them all they needed to know about their chances of getting across it.

Merlin insisted they should go to Gaius and that he would save them.  It was ridiculous, because what could the elderly physician do? But they went, because Arthur would do whatever Merlin wanted whilst he could still smell that alluring heat.  And also because they didn't have any other options.  Gaius had always been able to come up with remarkable solutions, and Arthur secretly thought that if anyone would know how to help them out of there it was Gaius.  So he went along with it, ignoring the concerns that Leon was voicing.

Miraculously they made it to Gaius' quarters without running into any of the other knights, though there were a few near misses.

Leon stood guard at the door, whilst Arthur and Gwaine followed Merlin inside.

Gaius was busy pouring a thick, foul-smelling liquid into a flask.  At his side Gwen was waiting as promised to race back down to the dungeons with it. That need had gone.

"Gwen, leave us," Arthur ordered.  "No sense in you getting caught up in this."

The girl exchanged a worried look with Gaius, but did as she was bid.  Merlin hurried over to Gaius, and took the flask from him.

"It's ready," the physician told him.  "But drink it slowly, it's..." he stopped as Merlin swallowed the whole lot down in one go with a grimace.  "Or don't.  Now all you can do is wait." 

"How long before..." Merlin hesitated, glancing at Arthur worriedly.  "Before the heat goes?"

"I don't know.  Not long," Gaius reassured him.  "You all need to get out of here."

"Hurry," Leon called from the door.  "I can hear people coming.  They're searching rooms."

"You should come with us," Merlin urged Gaius.  "They'll know you helped me."

"I'll slow you down.  Don't worry, just get out.  Uther will be too concerned about you and Arthur to worry about me."

Arthur wasn't sure that would be the case, but Gaius was right about him slowing them down.  He didn't like to leave him, but the old physician was resourceful and clever and if anyone could find a way to survive it would be him.  Arthur turned to leave, then heard something that made him hesitate.

"It's a soul bond, isn't it?" Gwaine asked Gaius in a whisper, but Arthur still caught it.

"I don't know what you mean," Gaius told him, carefully pouring more of the potion into another flask.

"I've seen one before, years ago."

"Then you know what causes it?"

"Yes."

"Arthur, we really need to go now!" Leon hissed, but Arthur ignored him, concentrating on what Gaius was saying to Gwaine.

"And that can't possibly be something that would happen in Camelot, now can it?"

Gwaine didn't answer immediately, watching Merlin.  Arthur hated it when the other alpha did that.  Gwaine seemed quite fascinated with the omega.  _His_ omega. 

"Perhaps not," Gwaine said eventually, infuriatingly.  It told Arthur nothing. 

"What aren't you telling me?" Arthur growled, angry at being left out of whatever they were discussing.  It was bad enough Gwaine appearing to know something that Arthur didn't, now Gaius appeared to be in on it.  "Yes, we're soul-bonded, what of it?"

Gaius raised an eyebrow.  As a child Arthur had always been a little afraid when the physician did that.  It usually heralded him being found out for doing some mischief. 

"Are you aware of what a soul bond is, Sire?  What causes it?"

Arthur had no idea what it was, but he wasn't going to let it be known that Gwaine knew more than he did on the subject.  "Of course I do!"

"Well then you understand the problem."

All Arthur understood was that when he claimed to know all about a soul bond and what it meant, Merlin had looked at him with so much love and adoration that he thought he might collapse under the weight of it.  The heat was fading already, he could sense it, but their bond was still right there.  It had to be a good thing.

"Totally."

Gaius was saying something else, but Arthur was only half-listening.  He'd been worried that when Merlin's heat was gone he wouldn't feel anything for him any more, that everything his father had shouted about the omega just being a servant would suddenly become apparent to him as well.  That wasn't the case.  The urgent need for his omega was fading, but what remained was something he'd never encountered before.

That would probably be love, then.  The thought warmed him. 

"I won't let anything happen to you," he promised, drawing Merlin closer.  "We'll find a way out, live far from here." 

Merlin really did look far too happy given their situation.  It was infectious, Arthur found himself smiling back. 

"I was afraid to tell you," Merlin admitted.

Arthur knew he really did need to find out what the soul bond actually meant.  But it was Merlin, it couldn't possibly be anything bad when everything about him was so very, very perfect.

"Arthur!" Leon's cry was all the warning they were going to get.  The door flew open and suddenly Uther's men were everywhere, swarming into the room.  There was little chance to fight, Sir Pelinore had his sword at Merlin's throat before Arthur could do much more than release him and draw his sword. The omega was too precious to risk and Arthur had the sense to know when he was defeated.  He was surrounded anyway, and with his existing injuries he knew he wouldn't last long in a fight.  Not that he would have given up if they hadn't threatened Merlin.  He wished he had thought to ask Gaius to give him something for the pain, but quelling Merlin's debilitating heat had been the main concern.

"You've got me.  Let him go."

Pelinore ignored him.  Behind him the king was striding into the room, Agravaine at his heels.  Arthur could almost feel the full force of his father's fury as he entered.  Once aroused it was difficult to contain.

"How _dare_ you disobey me!" Uther raged.  "I should have you flogged for this, Arthur!  I am your father and your king and you will obey me in all things!  This creature, this _servant_ is no concern of yours.  You'll give him up!"

"I can't.  I won't."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"We have a soul bond, you can't break it."

"Arthur!" Gwaine hissed in warning, but Arthur ignored him.

Uther's furious scowl deepened.   "A soul bond?" He looked to Gaius.  "Is this true?"

Gaius' brief hesitation before speaking answered the question.  "I can't be sure." 

"It is," Arthur confirmed confidently. 

Uther stared at him in disbelief.  "Do you even know what a soul bond is?  Do you know what it _means_ , you foolish boy?" he snarled.

"It means we're meant to be together.  It means you can't part us!"

"It means your damned omega servant must have magic!" Uther roared. 

_Magic!_   For a moment Arthur couldn't take it in.  He stared at his father, and then at his mate.  Of course Merlin didn't have magic.  Merlin was just a simple servant who happened to have the love of a prince. 

A simple servant whose heat was causing him problems because it was blocking something he thought he could do to save them.  Something Gaius and Gwaine had thought needed to be hidden.  _Oh._

His horror had to be showing in his face, because Merlin was gazing at him sadly.  "You didn't know.  I thought you understood what it was.  What I am." 

It was as much of an admission as Arthur needed.  His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"You've been enchanted," Uther warned him.  "Your knights too.  I'll deal with you all later.  You!" he spoke to the guards who had taken hold of Merlin.  Merlin, Arthur noticed, wasn't putting up much of a fight.  "Take him out and burn him like the sorcerer he is."

"Arthur..."  Merlin's voice was pleading, hard to resist.  But perhaps it really was all an enchantment.  Perhaps his father was right.   

Arthur just stood there, staring at his omega in disbelief as they led him away.

It couldn't be true.  But he had a horrible feeling that it was.

\---


	7. The Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Camelot Drabble prompt: 'Breathless'.

It had always been a risk, coming to Camelot.

For a few moments it had seemed that it all might be worth it, that Merlin had found a mate who understood and accepted him for what he was.  But it was just a lie, a typically arrogant assertion by the prince that he knew all about everything when in fact he didn't have a clue.  All the unflattering things that Merlin had assumed about Arthur when he first met him were turning out to be correct after all.  Arthur was going to be just like his father, blinkered and prejudiced about magic users, and uncaring about others once they'd provided him with whatever he wanted.  Even his soul-bonded omega.

Perhaps that only worked if you had a soul in the first place, Merlin thought bitterly.  

He let the guards lead him away, not bothering to even attempt to get away.  His heat was cooling, but there was still no sign of his magic returning.  Not that it mattered.  Arthur had rejected him and he didn't really care what they did to him because inside he already felt as if something had died.

They led him up long corridors, down a flight of stairs, and then suddenly he was out in the courtyard where a large crowd had gathered, milling around.   

One of the knights barked an order, and the crowd parted swiftly to let them through.

Ahead of them Merlin could see the firewood heaped high around the stake that was set in the middle of the courtyard.  He reached for his magic again, but there was still nothing there, not even the faintest spark.

He started to struggle, but had no chance against the strong alphas and betas that made up the knights and guards of Camelot.  They dragged him kicking and fighting ever closer to his doom.

\---

Arthur wasn't really sure what was going on in his life any more.  It was as if everything had been turned on its head in the past 24 hours.  He had an omega, a life mate that he felt closer to and more at ease with than any other person he'd ever met.  And now that omega had magic, which was everything his father had taught him to fight against all his life.  Taught to always act decisively, suddenly Arthur had no idea what to do because whilst his head was telling him it must be an enchantment, every instinct in his body was telling him to run after Merlin and cut every last one of those guards to pieces if that was what he had to do to free his mate.

Merlin couldn't be evil.  He just couldn't.

"Gaius?"

The old physician raised an eyebrow, and Arthur knew he was probably surprised that Arthur was even asking.  He must have known how much Arthur was drawn to his mate even with the heat gone.  "Go.  Stall things.  Merlin's magic is bound by his heat.  It's a cruel trick of nature that makes magic-using omegas more submissive when they're first mated, to give their alpha more control over them.  He'll get his powers back at any moment but you need to cause a delay until he does."

"But... magic..."

"Magic isn't evil," Gaius snapped impatiently.  It was treason to even think it, but Arthur supposed they were all too deeply involved for it to matter. 

"You  can't let this happen," Gwaine told him, pushing a sword into his hand and giving him a little shove.  "Go!"

Arthur was too conflicted to protest.  He looked to Leon, but the taller knight appeared just as confused as Arthur was.  Living in Camelot since his early teens, he was as indoctrinated as Arthur was into the belief that magic was wrong.

"We'll be beside you," Leon managed.  Arthur knew it must have cost him a lot to say that.

"No, we three should leave Camelot immediately," Gaius told them.  "Merlin should be able to get himself and Arthur out, five would be too many and Uther will be looking for scapegoats when that happens.  Just delay it, Arthur, however you can.  Now go!  Run!"

He ran, ignoring the pain that spiked through his body with every step. 

\---

Physically Merlin was no match for any one of the guards.  They bound him to the stake, easily dealing with his struggles.  Again and again he reached for his magic and found nothing.   Sometimes it had let him down before but never anything like this. 

There were crowds of people in the courtyard, all gathered there to watch him burn.  He could hear snatches of their loud conversations and knew that word had spread about who he was, what he was to Arthur.  Many seemed to think he deserved everything he got for daring to aim so high above his station.  But if they had been hoping to see the prince begging for his omega's life they were going to be disappointed, Merlin thought bitterly.  Arthur wasn't there.  It wasn't as if they'd even restrained him, he'd just stepped back and let Uther take Merlin.

Uther was up on the royal balcony, watching him grimly.  And that other man, the one who had suddenly appeared at court overnight, he was with him.  He looked as if he was enjoying himself.  Merlin had no idea who he was.  Beside him there was the lady Morgana, pale and drawn, gazing down at him.  He thought he could see both fear and sympathy in her face.  He stared back, finding it easier to look at the one possible friendly face than at all the sea of curious or angry faces surrounding him.  Morgana flinched, but didn't look away. 

One of the knights had brought a flaming torch and was standing at the foot of the pyre, awaiting Uther's signal.  The king stepped forward, leaning over the edge of the balcony and glaring down at his victim. 

"Merlin of Ealdor, you have been found guilty of practicing sorcery..."

Merlin supposed he must have missed the trial.  There was a commotion at the back of the crowd, distracting people.  Uther looked angrily across at the disturbance, then continued:

"...Of ensorcelling Prince Arthur and others..."

The commotion grew worse.  There was someone pushing through the crowd, shouting at Uther to stop.  Merlin didn't need to catch a brief glimpse of Arthur's distinctive and familiar blond hair to know it was his one true mate striving to reach him.  He struggled fruitlessly against his chains, no longer listening to what Uther was saying, intent on Arthur.  Rapidly the crowd parted to let Arthur through.  The prince didn't hesitate, clambering up the pyre before the startled knights realised what he was doing.

"I'm sorry," Arthur whispered, panting heavily, holding him close. 

Merlin had the feeling that would be all the apology he would ever get, but it didn't matter because Arthur was there now and hadn't abandoned him. 

"Arthur!  Get away from him!"

Merlin watched, slightly in awe as Arthur ignored his father.  Uther shouted again, but it seemed as if it were very far away.

"I won't let him burn you," Arthur promised.  "He can't, not while I'm here.  And I'll never let you down again, I promise."

Merlin rattled the chains that were binding him.  "I can't get free."

Arthur sniffed the air.  "Your heat's gone.  Gaius said you'd be able to use your magic again."

"I can't!" Merlin stared at him, seeing his own panic reflected in Arthur's eyes.  "I don't know why.  It hasn't come back!"

Two of the knights were trying to climb the pyre, but Arthur was in the better tactical position and held them off easily. 

"You can't hold them off forever," Merlin sighed.  He could see the way Arthur was favouring his right arm whenever he could.  That was his sword arm.  He could sense how close Arthur was to collapsing from exhaustion.  Getting out of wherever the king had held him, getting down to Merlin before and now once again... it was going to be too much.  The king's men were all a little afraid to hurt him because he was the crown prince, but that wouldn't last once Uther lost patience and ordered them to pull him down no matter what. 

"Arthur!" Uther was shouting again.  "You've been bewitched by that sorcerer.  Get down."

"You'll have to burn me too!" Arthur yelled back at him.  The smug, far too pleased with himself look that he gave Merlin told the omega that Arthur didn't think that would ever happen.

But the dark-haired man up on the balcony was sidling up to Uther, taking him aside, whispering to him.  Uther's expression darkened further.

"This is treason!  Get down from there this instant or you can burn along with your sorcerer!"      

"Arthur..." Merlin hissed.  "He'll do it."

"Of course he won't, I'm his son," Arthur told him confidently. 

And that, Merlin thought as he looked sadly between the two alphas, was the problem.  Neither was going to give way, though surely Uther would never burn his son.  The dark-haired man leaned forward again, but this time he didn't speak.  Merlin gasped as he felt the distinctive power of a charm being used.   The crowd had gone completely silent, stunned by what was unfolding.

"Do it!" Uther ordered the torch-bearer.  The man hesitated, looking up at Arthur then back at Uther.  "Now!" Uther roared.

Arthur's shock was almost palpable.  Merlin watched what little colour was left in his face drain away, but felt himself being gripped tighter as the fire was lit.  True to his word, Arthur wasn't going to leave him again.

"The man with the king is using a magic charm to influence him," Merlin whispered.  "Your father hasn't made the decision, not really." 

"He's the one that's been enchanted then," Arthur hissed.  "Merlin, your magic... I don't care how subservient it wants to make you, now would be a really good time for it to reappear and get us out of here."

Still Merlin reached for it without success.  The fire was starting, the wood or at least some of it couldn't have been dry enough and threw up a lot of smoke, partially hiding them from view, their eyes streaming.

"We'll choke to death before the fire ever reaches us," Merlin gasped.  "You should get down, save yourself.  Camelot needs you."

Arthur shook his head, starting to cough.  "No.  I think I know what to do."

"Arthur, please, I can't watch you die!"  The smoky air was swirling around them.  He could hear people in the crowd coughing too. 

"Listen to me."  Arthur took Merlin's face in his hands, tilting it towards him and speaking in the alpha command voice Merlin had never yet heard him use.  " _Use your magic.  Get us out of here!"_

And that time, when Merlin reached for his magic, it was finally there. 

\---


	8. Atonement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt 'Atonement'

Arthur could feel the change in Merlin immediately.

It had just been a hunch, the idea that giving him an order as his alpha would free the magic again.  It was, he thought, for a brief heady moment, his to command.  That power could so easily corrupt a man.  Then he pushed the thought aside.  They had more pressing concerns.

The bindings fell away from Merlin almost instantly, curling outward and dropping onto the pyre.  The fire, Arthur realised, had stopped burning.  Only the smoke remained and even that was starting to clear.  Merlin stood there beside him, one arm raised, his eyes glowing pure gold.  He was magnificent, Arthur thought, the power radiating from him.  A consort worthy of a king. 

Merlin wrapped his other arm around Arthur's waist, gripping him tightly.

"I'll take us far from here," he promised.

Arthur had once seen a sorcerer vanish into the air, as if he had never been there at all.  He felt a thrill of fear at the thought that this was probably what Merlin was about to do.  What _they_ were about to do.  After what the king had just tried to do to them, Arthur had no qualms about leaving.  But not without doing one last thing. 

"Wait."  He closed his hand over Merlin's arm.  "I want to speak to my father."

Merlin blinked at him, his eyes still that unnatural gold, though it was fading.   "Arthur, he would have killed us both!"

Arthur nodded.  "And that's why I want to face him.  You can protect us, can't you?"  Already he could hear Uther shouting at the guards to seize them. 

"Yes, but he'll never change his mind.  We need to get away.  I can't watch every single person here."

"Just my father.  I don't believe the others would willingly harm me."  He hoped rather than entirely believed that it was true.  In the end they were all loyal to the king.  And he wasn't king.  After this, there was a good chance that he never would be.

Merlin gave a sigh, then the tiniest half-bow and suddenly they were up on the balcony, facing the king.  There was a huge gasp from the crowd below, a few little shrieks of fear.  Arthur staggered forward, and might have fallen if Merlin hadn't been holding onto him.  He looked at Merlin, then down at the pyre, over to the shocked face of his father, and then back at Merlin again.

"We could have walked," he breathed, trying to calm the rush of fear he felt over what had just happened.  Magic was not evil, not when it was Merlin wielding it.  He wanted to say it over and over to himself like a mantra, not ready to face so much all at once.  He took a deep, steadying breath, because he _had_ to deal with it.  "We could have fought our way through the crowds."

Merlin ignored him, intent on the king.  There was a hard, cold expression on his face that Arthur had never seen before.  In contrast, Uther looked a little afraid, just for a moment.  But then that moment was gone and he looked on them both with cold defiance.

"You dare to come up here?"

"You dare try to burn your own son?" Merlin countered.  "What kind of monster does that make you?"

"Guards!" Uther roared, never taking his eyes off the pair of them.  "GUARDS!"

The Camelot guard were loyal to the king at any rate.  Arthur felt a brief pique of anger as a group of them rushed forward.  But he didn't need them on his side, he had Merlin.  Merlin, who raised his arm again and with a brief, unnerving flash of those golden eyes every weapon except the sword that Arthur himself held vanished.

The guards stopped where they were, apparently frozen to the spot.

"What did you do?" Arthur hissed.  "Are they dead?"

Merlin shook his head.  "They'll be fine when I release them," he whispered.  "Your father.  You wanted to speak to him.  Hurry up, I can't hold them forever."

Arthur glanced a little nervously back at what appeared to be human statues.  Agravaine and Uther were regarding them worriedly as well, he noticed.  Morgana, behind them, had her hands pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror.  There was, he noticed, a tear on her cheek.  He had never realised she actually cared about him.  Or perhaps it was just tears of terror because of the magic.

"Step away from him, Arthur."

That was something, Arthur thought.  Uther was no longer referring to Merlin as if he were an inanimate object, a _thing_.  That would be difficult given all that had happened.

"We're bonded," Arthur told him.  "As you can see, it's a magical soul bond and all that entails.  I couldn't leave him even if I wanted to."  He glanced at Merlin and gave him a small smile, hoping that his actions were making up for his earlier failings.  "And I'd never want to."

"You know the laws on sorcery."

"Perhaps you should check the ones on filicide.  You would have killed me."

Uther was staying well back, Arthur noted.  There was no attempt to come any closer to them.  "No, Arthur.  You were free to step down, and I assure you that you would have done so if this _freak_ hadn't escaped." 

"That's it?  That's your idea of an apology?"

"No, of course not.  I have no reason to apologise, no sins to atone for.  I, after all, am not the one consorting with a sorcerer."

Arthur gave Agravaine a long, hard stare.  To give him his due, the man didn't flinch, merely gave that slightly superior and smug half-smile back.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that.  Do you really think that trying to kill your own son was a something you would do without magical persuasion?  We saw him." Arthur gestured towards Agravaine, who merely looked mildly puzzled.  "He used a charm on you."

Agravaine gave a short, incredulous laugh.  "What rubbish!  He's merely trying to protect his omega."

"It was an inhuman thing to do, Uther," Morgana put in. 

"Silence!" Uther snapped at her.  "This has nothing to do with you!"

"Oh really?  And what happens if it's me next time?  If I'm bonded to someone you don't approve of?  I heard what you said to Agravaine just now, when Arthur climbed up onto the pyre.  You said you were going to disinherit him and make me your heir, have me marry someone you felt would make a suitable king." Morgana looked to Arthur and added: "He did.  If you didn't give up your omega.   So it's got plenty to do with me.  And as I said, inhuman."

"The omega isn't protecting you, Morgana," Uther growled dangerously.  "Don't let a few careless words cost you dearly."

"They're being manipulated by that man again," Merlin whispered to Arthur.  Sure enough, there was something in Agravaine's hand.  "He's distracting them."

"Don't you see what he's doing?" Arthur exclaimed.  "He's drawing you away from what we just told you.  Agravaine is the one you should be burning!"  He ignored the incredulous expression on his father's face, and ploughed on regardless.  "Don't you see that he's got some sort of charm in his hands?  He's manipulating you!"

Agravaine snorted in disbelief.  "Uther, you don't believe this nonsense?  The boy's mind is addled."  

"Show him then," Merlin countered.  "Open your hand."

Merlin, Arthur noticed, was starting to tremble slightly.  He recalled what his omega had said about the guards.  They couldn't stay there much longer. 

Agravaine opened his hand.  There was a small locket.  Grimly he held it up, then clicked it open.  Inside was a small lock of golden hair.

"You know whose it is," he told Uther.  "I carry it with me always, to remember her."

"Summoning power from the underworld," Merlin snapped, then added just for Arthur's ears: "We have to go.  I can't hold them any longer."

"Can we take Morgana?" Arthur hissed back, not wanting to leave her to some unloving husband in a marriage of convenience.

Merlin shook his head.  "Not now.  I'll barely manage to get us out as it is.  Finish this, Arthur."

"Enough of these ridiculous accusations!" Uther snarled.  "This is your last chance, Arthur.  Give up the omega."

"Never."

"Then you are no longer my son and heir, and henceforth banished.  You have until nightfall to leave the kingdom unharmed.  Your omega has no such period of grace."

Arthur inclined his head in acquiescence.  "Goodbye, Father."

Uther opened his mouth to speak, but Arthur never heard what it was that he was going to say.  The balcony was abruptly gone and replaced by the warm, familiar smell of the stables. 

This time it was Merlin who stumbled forwards, collapsing on the floor at Arthur's feet.  Arthur's own horse was right there, saddled and ready with a slightly smaller mount beside him.  Arthur silently blessed what had to be Leon and Gwaine's foresight.  To the two knights, escape on horseback would have seemed the only way out.   They had no way of knowing just how powerful Merlin was, or how stupidly thoughtless Arthur had been.  If he hadn't wasted time with his father they would both be miles away by now.  Merlin would be safe.  Quickly he helped his mate up onto the other horse, not liking the way he swayed unsteadily in the saddle.

"Do I need to tie you on there to stop you falling off?"  It wasn't a slight.  Merlin looked ready to drop again.

"I can ride," Merlin insisted.

"Just hold on," Arthur urged.  "I can't lose you."

The grateful, loving look Merlin managed through his exhaustion warmed Arthur through to the core.  They only had moments, he knew.  For all those who might be unwilling to harm him, there were plenty who would have no concerns about killing an omega and claiming whatever bounty Uther would have put on his head.  Already he could hear the shouts from other areas of the castle.  It was only a matter of time before they were spotted.  Arthur swung up onto his own mount, grabbed the reins of Merlin's horse because he wasn't convinced Merlin was going to be able to do more than cling on, and rode out as fast as he dared given the state Merlin was in.

They cantered through the courtyard.  One guard stepped out to stop them at the gate but flung himself aside when he saw Arthur bearing down on him.  And then they were out and riding through the countryside, away from Camelot. 

Only when the castle was almost out of sight did Arthur slow, and look back.  He'd lived his entire life at Camelot.  He was supposed to dedicate his life to the service of its people.  He had no idea where they were going to go now.  Merlin was still leaning over the saddle, barely clinging to it.

Grimly, they rode on to whatever life their future held.


	9. Crossing the Border

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt: Reconciliation.

The waiting was the worst part.

It had been easy enough to get out of Camelot, to grab a few essential belongings, take their horses and go.  Gaius had been surprisingly fast, grabbing a sack of belongings that were stashed in a cupboard.  It was almost as if he had expected to need to make a run for it one day.  Gwaine wished that he and Leon had made the same provision.

As it was, they'd left with the clothes on their backs, a few weapons from the armoury and a small amount of food that Gwaine had managed to blag from the kitchen whilst Leon was sorting out the horses.  It wasn't going to last them long, but then that might not matter.  If Arthur and Merlin escaped they would probably have half of Camelot on their heels and no matter how good they all were at fighting they didn't stand much of a chance.

It had been slow progress by necessity, getting the old physician out of the palace.  They'd come up with a story about escorting him whilst he took much-needed plague supplies to a village on the outskirts of the kingdom.  Nobody had questioned it whilst they saddled up the horses and packed quickly, but they had all been aware that at any moment the shout could go up that Merlin had escaped and all hell would break loose.   But if they had moved too fast it would have aroused suspicion.  Nobody expected to see Gaius move in too much of a hurry these days.

They had ridden out as far as the forest then waited there, far enough away that they could still just about see the castle in the distance.  Any further and they would never find Arthur and Merlin when they finally emerged.  _If_ they finally emerged.

"What if they go the other way?" Leon wondered more than once.

"This is the way to Ealdor.  They have nowhere to go, they'll probably head for Merlin's home first," Gaius assured him.  "And if not then we'll go there anyway."

"Assuming they get away," Leon replied a little morosely.  "What if they didn't get away?  There was smoke."

They had all seen it, the ominous plume of grey that had risen over the castle as they left.  It could only be the pyre that Merlin had been threatened with.  It had faded quickly, but that didn't mean that the burning hadn't happened. 

"We just have to wait," Gaius assured him.  "Merlin would have found a way, I'm sure of it."

Gwaine wished he shared that confidence.  Merlin didn't seem to be overly powerful, and he was an omega.  What could an omega do?  He knew Leon was probably wondering the same thing.  But they waited, trying not to think about what could have happened. 

It wasn't a competition, but Gwaine spotted them first.  Two figures on horseback, riding away from Camelot, though Gwaine had expected to see them moving far faster than they were.  The pair were heading towards the forest, not yet noticing the trio waiting in the shelter of the trees.  Merlin, Gwaine noticed as they drew a little closer, had to be injured as he was slumped forward in the saddle and Arthur was leading his horse.  Arthur didn't look particularly healthy either.

"Arthur!" Leon didn't wait any longer, mounting up and urging his horse out into the sunlight.  As he galloped towards the pair, Gwaine and Gaius followed at a more sedate pace.

Gwaine could see Arthur slow his horse briefly, hesitant until he saw who it was hailing him.  Then he rode towards them. 

"Leon, thank the gods!  Gwaine, Gaius... Merlin's exhausted, I pushed him too hard.  We barely got out of there in time."

Gwaine looked past them, at the lack of pursuers.  He had half-expected them to arrive with half of Camelot on their heels.  "You're not being followed?"

"I have until nightfall to leave the kingdom."

"You're banished?" Leon exclaimed.  "But you're Uther's heir!"

"Not any more.  I'll explain later.  My father will have put a bounty on Merlin's head by now, we need to keep going, get over the border into Cenred's lands."

"Cenred is no friend to Camelot," Leon warned.

"And apparently neither are we," Arthur retorted.  "Essetir is the closest border."

"We can go to Ealdor," Merlin put in.  He was swaying slightly in the saddle, Gwaine noticed.  He didn't look up to a long ride.  Neither did Arthur, battered and bruised as he was, though at least he was upright in the saddle.  "My mother will take us in for a few nights."

"That's the first place they'll look," Gaius told him.  "Once word gets out it won't be safe for you or Hunith."

Arthur frowned.  They all knew it was true.  "You've got a better suggestion?"

"Actually, yes I have,” replied Gaius. “We go to Mercia.  Lord Bayard is a more honourable man than Cenred, more likely to leave us in peace if we quietly take refuge in his kingdom for a while.   There's a village north of Tamworth where we can stay.  I have friends there who will take us in.  They aren't known to your father."

"Sounds good, let's go." Gwaine wheeled his horse around, ready to leave.  He still expected a small army to surge out of the castle in pursuit of them. 

Arthur looked back at the distant towers of his home.  "I'm not hiding for long," he promised.  "I'm not abandoning Morgana.  My father means to make her heir and marry her off to someone of his choosing, just as he was going to with me.  And I'll expose Agravaine for exactly what he is.  He used my mother's hair in a charm to bewitch my father, Gaius.  However badly my father has behaved, he loved her and he doesn't deserve that kind of betrayal."

Gaius nodded reassuringly.  "That's for another day, Arthur." 

They rode on, though Gwaine noticed Arthur looking back over his shoulder many times, until there was nothing left to see.

Even then he still looked back.

\---

It took two days to reach Mercia, going through Essetir rather than risking staying within the borders of Camelot, and then another day after that to reach the settlement Gaius was leading them to.

By then they were all tired.  Finding safe places to rest had been difficult, and none of them had slept much. 

Merlin recovered fairly quickly.  Riding was tiring but with Arthur insisting on leading his horse on the first day all Merlin had to do was to stay on.  He would have liked to go and curl up in a corner somewhere and sleep for a week, but that wasn't possible.  But his exhaustion was, he found, mostly mental.  He'd never expended that amount of magic before and hadn't known how much it would tire him.  By the second day he was more alert and able to guide them.

Arthur wasn't so fortunate.  When they stopped on the first evening, he finally revealed the extent of his injuries.  They were mostly self-inflicted, the entirety of his right side was a mass of multi-coloured bruises from where he'd tried to break free from the room where he'd been imprisoned.  There were also cuts and nicks from the fight he'd had with his guards, but as they'd been afraid to harm him those weren't too deep.  Once or twice Merlin saw Arthur touch his face and wince slightly, as if it were a little tender. That would be where his father had slapped him, Merlin thought, which probably hurt more due to its cause than from the physical pain.

Gaius had brought a collection of remedies with him, and had given Merlin a salve to apply to the bruises.  Apparently there was little else he could do, and Arthur would just have to wait for the bruising to go down.  It meant that the next day Arthur was aching and uncomfortable, and Merlin was elected to ride with him.  With the mood he was in, nobody else wanted to.

Merlin didn't mind.  He rode quietly alongside his alpha, knowing what this man had given up to be with him, letting the others ride along behind them.  He could hear Gwaine's endless chatter starting to get on Leon's nerves, and wondered how long it would be before there was an argument.  Leon had lost almost as much as Arthur over this, and wasn't even getting a mate out of the deal.  Merlin had caught the tall knight staring at him a few times, as if he were pondering something.  Merlin hoped it wasn't that he was considering taking the bounty for himself.  But he'd been very wrong about Leon and Gwaine's intentions towards him before, and he wasn't going to make that mistake again, not when they'd both stood by Arthur in this.

On the evening of the third day they reached a small village in Southern Mercia.  It was much larger than Ealdor, and would have been considered a town if it was in Essetir.  It even had an inn, and it was there that Gaius guided them, greeting the innkeeper, Edmund, as an old friend. 

Merlin had already known that Gaius had helped people escape from Uther's purge on sorcerers years before, although it had come as a surprise to Arthur and the two knights when he had explained this on their journey.  Leon had grown increasingly quiet at the news and Merlin had noticed those considering looks being directed his way yet again. 

Edmund didn't have magic, but his wife Elaine did, along with two of their four children.   The eldest child had been just a baby when they'd escaped Camelot, and was an adult, Arthur's age, now.

"How long will we stay here?" Leon asked as they were shown to their rooms.  It was the first thing he'd said in a while.  He and Gwaine had been put in a room adjacent to the younger magic-using child and Merlin could see him giving the young boy the same sort of look he'd been giving Merlin earlier.  And that told Merlin all he needed to know about why Leon didn't seem very happy.

"A few days," Arthur told them.  "Time to rest, plan what we'll do next."

"Time for other things too, eh?" Gwaine put in, bumping shoulders with Merlin and giving him a little grin, waggling his eyebrows.  Unlike Leon, Gwaine didn't seem particularly bothered by the magic.  But then he hadn't grown up in Camelot, he came from Caerleon and magic wasn't banned there.

Merlin felt his face redden, which made Gwaine laugh as he followed a rather morose Leon into their room and closed the door.

"Take no notice of Gwaine," Arthur advised.  "If you start blushing like that he'll never stop teasing you."

Edmund led them up to their room.  It wasn't anything like Arthur's chambers at Camelot, but it was clean and comfortable and far better than anything Merlin had ever stayed in.  He'd had a pile of straw as a mattress in his mother's hovel growing up, and the bed in Gaius' chambers was lumpy and uncomfortable.

"It's not what you're used to, Sire," Edmund apologised as he showed them inside.  "We aren't equipped to host royalty, I'm afraid."

"It will do very well, thank you.  And I'm no longer considered royal."

Edmund gave a little bow.  "Your father will see reason in time."

"He didn't with you."

"I'm not his only son.  Now, shall I have the boys draw you a bath before dinner?"

\---

The bath had been a godsend to Arthur, easing many of his aches and pains.  Merlin had heated the water with magic and they'd both taken turns soaking in the small tub until the serving girls arrived with dinner.  

It was a wonder that Merlin was so skinny because he could put food away faster than anyone Arthur had ever met.  He grinned happily at Arthur as he used a hunk of bread to mop up the remnants of the thick, meaty bowl of stew he had been devouring, and suddenly Arthur really wasn't that hungry any more.  Not for food anyway.   

"I think we've had enough," he decided, and picked up the two mostly empty dishes.

Merlin made some sort of protest that might have been something like "I'm still eating," but it was so muffled around the large mouthful of bread he was chewing that it was impossible to tell.  Arthur put the dishes outside then locked the door.  There were going to be no more disturbances that night.

Merlin stared at him, chewing slowly, his eyes wide.  Arthur wondered how he could make looking so guileless seem so very, very desirable.  He watched as Merlin gulped the bread down, swallowed it, never taking his eyes off Arthur as he walked over to the bed.

"Come here."

Merlin tilted his head just a little defiantly.  "Make me."

And that was when Arthur realised that sometimes, when they were alone, perhaps he was going to find that Merlin _liked_ to play the submissive little omega.  Because there was certainly never going to be any other time that his cheeky and wilful ex-manservant was going to be subservient to him.

So, if he liked the alpha command voice sometimes, if that was how he wanted to play it:  " _Come here._ "  

Doubtless that had carried at least to the adjoining rooms, Arthur thought ruefully, but he didn't care.  All that mattered was his beautiful, willing omega who was coming towards him, smiling a little shyly. 

"Finally," Arthur breathed, drawing Merlin close and burying his face in the shock of dark hair.  He didn't think he'd ever get tired of the scent of his omega.  Even without the draw of his heat Merlin was impossible to resist.  "I've waited far too long for this."

"I thought you were going to reject me," Merlin breathed, as Arthur's hands started to roam under his tunic, lifting it up.  "Just for a little while, when the king told you I had magic and you let the guards take me.  I thought you wouldn't want me."

"I'm sorry.  Believe that I'll always want you."  Arthur pulled up the unnecessary clothing and flung it to one side, reaching for the ties on Merlin's breeches and fumbling to undo them.  He was distracted by the possessive mark he had made, days ago, on Merlin's neck.  It had faded only a little.  Arthur covered it with his mouth, sucking at it, loving the moan of need that the action brought forth from his mate.  Merlin started to pull at Arthur's shirt in return then paused, leaned back and then with a confident smirk on his face he spoke just one word.

Arthur couldn't understand that word, but it didn't matter.  Merlin's eyes gave a brief flash of gold, and their remaining clothes fell in a heap at their feet.  There was something about the use of magic that still disturbed Arthur, but it was quieting, lessening.  He knew that soon enough all the prejudice he had ever learned about it would be gone forever.  If it was a part of Merlin then it had to be right. 

"Merlin," he murmured, pulling him close again, kissing him and tangling his fingers in his lover's hair as he pulled him down onto the bed.  "That's a useful trick."

Merlin laughed against his mouth.   Arthur could feel the huff of breath warm and sweet on his face and leaned in to kiss him again.  There was just something about that mouth, he couldn't stop tasting it, kissing it bruisingly deep before he pulled Merlin up, helping him turn over and get up onto his knees.  Arthur shifted so that he was behind his lover.  Merlin moved back at that point, his arse brushing against Arthur's already hard cock, and any restraint Arthur might have thought himself capable of went straight out of the window.

He intending making some sort of attempt to prepare his lover.  But omegas had natural lubricant, Merlin was already wet and ready for him as if reacting to some silent command.  Arthur leaned down and licked a stripe across the open and dripping omega hole, feeling Merlin clench and sigh beneath him at the sensation.

"Arthur..." he breathed.  "Please..."  It was a heady sound, almost as enticing as their heat had been.   

Arthur knelt up and grabbed hold of Merlin's hip with one hand, guiding his cock to the sweet wetness he'd already tasted, then carefully pushed his way inside. 

"Did I hurt you?" he whispered, leaning close.  "The first time, with your heat, I couldn't be careful with you.  Did I hurt you?"

"No... I don't think so.  I can't remember... I don't care!  Arthur, just... Oh Gods, I can feel your knot!"

Arthur gasped as his knot bumped against Merlin's rim and thrust again.  Merlin arched back and pushed against him with a pleading sob.  "I need it in me, Arthur... Please... I want it."

Merlin pushed back again and Arthur had to bite back a whine of need as Merlin's rim stretched around him, trying to accommodate the swollen aching knot that was pressing against it.  He felt Merlin undulate his hips beneath him, and started to drive into him harder. 

Merlin had taken himself in hand and was pumping in time with Arthur's thrusts, still pushing back, trying to take all of Arthur inside him.

Their first mating back at Camelot was just a blur of heat and passion.  Arthur could barely remember the details, just how very, very good it was.  And before that there was nothing to draw from because he'd never been allowed near an omega that there was any risk of mating.  A few tumbles with betas was hardly the same thing and they always shied away from taking a knot.   Omegas were weak, submissive, they couldn't say no to an alpha.  Merlin felt so good beneath him, but there was still that fear. 

"It's too big, I'll hurt you."

He could have sworn he heard Merlin mutter "boaster" under his breath. 

"I'm made for this, Arthur.  Made for you.  You won't hurt me.  Come on, do it!" 

Arthur sat back, pulling out a little as he did so.  Merlin started to complain, but Arthur grabbed him and pulled him back so that he was more or less sitting on Arthur's cock.  As Merlin shifted, the knot pressed harder into him, stretching his hole, starting to push past the rim. 

Arthur held him tighter, one hand reaching round to stroke Merlin's cock, hard, firm strokes relaxing him.  He could feel the muscle ring blocking his knot start to loosen as he worked Merlin.

"Ready?" he whispered.

Merlin nodded, biting his lip and Arthur thought that despite his claims otherwise it probably did hurt a little.

He gave a careful thrust upwards, twice, and then Merlin's body finally opened to his knot, clenching around it as soon as Arthur was inside him, tying them immediately.

Arthur gasped at the overwhelming sensation, and for a moment he didn't move, just marvelling at the feel of the pressure and warmth of Merlin around his hard, fully swollen knot.  Then Merlin pulled away a little and Arthur thought perhaps he might die from how good that felt.  He pushed Merlin forwards, back onto his knees, then had him grip the bedstead to brace himself.  Then Arthur started grinding into him, one hand in a firm, steadying grasp on his omega's hip, the other reaching round to bring Merlin off in long, firm strokes.  There was hot, thick come spilling over Arthur's hand but he barely noticed as he came and he started to pump his seed inside his mate, over and over. 

Trembling with the intensity of the orgasm, it took a little while before they could carefully lower themselves back down onto the bed, Arthur curling protectively around his mate.  He could feel his knot still joining them, holding them together. 

Merlin wriggled slightly, and Arthur groaned as another orgasm hit him, more seed spilling into his omega's willing channel.

"You'll kill me," Arthur warned.

Merlin just smirked.  "You'll die happy."

It was true.  Right then, nothing else mattered except the warm body pressed against his own.  He could be content spending the rest of his life in that bed, curled against that man.  He could feel the bond stronger than ever.   

"I love you," he whispered against Merlin's neck, and felt his mate tense against him for a moment.

"But the magic..."

"It's mine.  Everything about you is mine.  And Merlin?"  He watched those blue eyes raised questioningly towards him.  "Everything of me is yours.  Always.  No more secrets.  Whatever this bond is, it's meant to be."

"It's you," Merlin whispered.  "You're destined to be the greatest king Camelot has ever known.  I'm supposed to stand with you.  It's a prophecy.  Kilgharrah told me."

"I... We... Who's Kilgharrah?"

"Um... yes.  About those secrets..."

\---


	10. The Next in Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot Drabble prompt: Stubborn.

Morgana sat, watching from her window as the castle residents went about their business.  It had been four days since her world had been irrevocably changed.  Four days since Arthur had literally vanished into thin air right there in front of her.   Four days since she had been appointed as the rightful heir to Camelot's throne.

There was nothing _rightful_ about it.  Uther Pendragon, a man she tolerated at best, had seen fit to declare her his natural born daughter.  Morgana could not and would not accept it.  She had told him so, screamed it in his face over and over.  Eventually he had lost patience and ordered her out of his sight.  He was treating her like a child, ordering her to stay in her chambers until she was ready to stand at his side and accept the role he had thrust upon her.  Morgana didn't care about being the heir, or about being suddenly elevated to princess.  But she would never, ever accept that he was her father.  He could shut her away for the rest of her life but on that she stubbornly refused to budge.

"I can't be his," she whispered, not for the first time.  "I can't be."

Gwen, who had been quietly cleaning the room, was at her side in an instant.  She laid her hand over Morgana's, her pretty and open face a study in concern. 

"Whoever your father is," she reassured her.  "You are your mother's daughter."

Morgana didn't know what she'd do without Gwen there to calm and reassure her but she wasn't entirely sure that what Gwen had just said was true.  Her mother had been gentle and kind, not unlike Gwen in her way.  Morgana didn't feel gentle or kind.  She felt angry, and a little afraid.  She knew that there was something dark and dangerous lurking within her own soul.  Something that came out only in her dreams for now, giving her strange visions that she didn't understand.  Often she didn't even remember what they were.  She would wake up screaming at shadows and crying over something that seemed to be just on the edge of her consciousness but when she reached for it there was nothing there.  Then other times she could recall all too clearly the devils and demons that she had seen sweep through Camelot's halls and corridors, and the terrible, twisted faces of those unfortunates who had got in their way.  Those were the things she could remember. 

And she recalled seeing Uther, always sitting there amidst it all, calm and unresponsive.  In the past she had always thought it was because he was iron-willed, or cold, or both.  But having recently been on the receiving end of his fury she was painfully aware that this lack of response wasn't natural, not from Uther.  He reacted strongly to everything, just as she did.  Her father's daughter.  She shuddered at the thought, and Gwen put her arms around her and hugged her close.

Gaius had always told her they were just bad dreams, and had given her potions to help her sleep.  They must have worked better than she had supposed, because with Gaius gone and no potion to calm her the dreams had become more frequent, stronger.

The previous night she had seen herself sitting on the throne of Camelot.  But it was the throne of the queen or consort that she occupied, not the throne of the ruler.  The king's throne was filled by a man whose face she couldn't see, and she'd had a strong feeling that she was not and never would be Camelot's ruler.  That didn't matter to her as it was not a position she had ever sought.  The identity of her king, though, that mattered a great deal because sometimes her dreams became reality.  As if she were some kind of seer.

Uther would burn her for that if he knew, she had no doubt.  If she gave in to him now, played the dutiful princess, he would be kind now, as much as he could ever be.  That would be gone in an instant if he knew about the visions.  He had proved that with Arthur, and she was still shocked that he had done such a thing.  Uther had changed since the revelation about Merlin, hating magic even more than ever.  It had, after all, taken away both his son and his wife.

Morgana had never thought she would ever miss Arthur.  Of all the people in the world, he was the biggest thorn in her side.  They'd grown up together, he had always felt like the annoying, entitled, spoiled younger brother that she now discovered he really was.  And yet when the mood took him he could be kind, and with Merlin he had proved that he could accept magic.  Admittedly it had taken the near death of his bonded mate for him to do so, but his mind would be more receptive to the idea now.  She could go to him.  Whatever annoying personality traits he had, he was basically honourable and brave.  He would take her in and protect her once he knew the truth, especially if Uther tried to marry her off to someone she couldn't bear to be with.  There had already been strong hints that he thought Agravaine was a suitable match.  The thought made her skin crawl, and Arthur's warning about the man only served to fuel her resolve.

"We need to find out where Arthur has gone," she told Gwen.  "Is there still no news?"

"Nothing yet.  All the talk today is of some monster in the south of the kingdom.  They say it has the head of a lion and the body of an eagle."

Morgana had never heard of such a thing.  It sounded improbable, although there was something in the description that sounded vaguely familiar.  She pushed away the thought.  "It's probably just a story put about to distract people from Arthur leaving.  It won't work.  I'm going to follow him," Morgana vowed, trying not to notice the look of alarm that Gwen tried hard to hide.  "I won't sit here and be used as a pawn in Uther's games."

Gwen bit her lip, worried.  "I'll keep asking," she promised.  "Someone will hear of them soon.  He was the crown prince, he can't just vanish.  But my lady, you shouldn't think of travelling alone."

Morgana had no intention of doing so.  Leaving her only remaining friend was unthinkable.  "I was hoping you might come with me," she admitted.  "And didn't you tell me once that you had a brother who fights as well as any knight?  Couldn't he accompany us, as protector?"

The worried look didn't fade from Gwen's face.  "I haven't seen him in years... but yes, perhaps.  And of course I'd never leave you."

"Dear Gwen," Morgana couldn't help the fondness slipping into her tone.  "Go now.  See what you can find out."

The girl hurried away, and Morgana turned back to her window.  She could still see people milling around in the courtyard below them, some in a hurry, some dawdling.  Ordinary people getting on with their lives.  They probably all would think she was making a fuss over nothing.  Surely it was a great thing, to be a princess, daughter to a king?

Gwen appeared out there a few minutes later, smiling and nodding to people.  Morgana watched the easy way she moved between them all, the way that most of them seemed to be happy to stop and chat to her.

There was a man coming across the courtyard, someone Morgana had never seen before. Judging by the curious glances he was getting from a few of the castle folk he was probably a stranger to them as well.  He was dark-haired and olive-skinned, and even at that distance Morgana could see how very handsome he was.  He was walking towards Gwen almost as if an invisible thread was drawing him to her.  Morgana watched them both moving across the courtyard.  She saw the moment when the man noticed Gwen and then when she noticed him, saw the mutual interest blossom between them.  And then Gwen was smiling at him, talking to him, probably trying to find out if he knew anything of Arthur from his travels.  Morgana had given her the perfect excuse to make contact. 

Somewhere, out in the distance, Morgana thought she could hear some creature bellowing its cry.  None of it boded well.

Down in the courtyard, oblivious, Gwen and the newcomer were still smiling at each other, in no rush to move apart.  Morgana felt suddenly more alone than ever.


	11. Future Planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the Camelot drabble prompt 'caring'.

Arthur Pendragon had never been one for just sitting around doing nothing, especially when he felt that there was action that needed to be taken.  And having his birthright ripped from him by someone who obviously cared only about raising themselves up to the throne was something he definitely had no intention of sitting back and letting happen.

It wasn't too bad for the first day or two, but after that he grew restless.  There was no useful news from Camelot, nothing to indicate what might have happened after they left.  All that the few travellers that passed through the village had to say to them was the talk of Arthur and the various versions of his flight with Merlin.  He was in turns bewitched, kidnapped or murdered by an evil sorcerer posing as an omega.

"None of the stories seem to be showing how I was really just a poor, innocent, gentle omega that you trapped in your room and ravished brutally," Merlin pointed out after one of the merchants in the market square, having no idea who he was speaking to, had told them how Arthur had been murdered by the demonic sorcerer and that his dismembered corpse had been found at the castle gates. 

"At least you're mentioned," Gwaine told him.  "Leon and I might as well not exist.  Shows how much we've been missed."  He took a long swig of his ale.  "I knew there was no point in signing up as a knight again.  Never ends well."  He looked towards the bar, where Elaine, Edmund's wife was working.  "I'd have been better off as an innkeeper.   All the ale I can drink, and nobody looking to run you through."

"You'd drink all the profits," Leon pointed out.  "Besides, there's no chance of either of us returning to that life anytime soon.  No other king will take us after we walked out on Uther's service.  The less stories we're included in, the sooner we can go back into service and the better I'll like it, thank you."

"You might like that, but I'd like to be remembered in song and legend.  Sir Gwaine and the evil sorcerer... preferably while I'm still alive to bask in the glory.  Hey Merlin, maybe you and I could stage a battle where I defeat you heroically in a public place and rescue the princess from your wicked clutches?  Could you make yourself look just a little bit fearsome first though?  Because at the moment it would look as if I'm kicking a puppy!"

Arthur rolled his eyes, though he didn't miss the annoyed look that Leon gave Gwaine, who ignored it.  Gwaine didn't have a problem with magic, having been raised in a land where it was accepted.  He and Merlin had become friends during their escape, and Arthur wondered if Leon was starting to feel left out.   Arthur minded it less than he thought perhaps he should.  He supposed it was the soulbond, constantly leaving him in no doubt that Merlin was absolutely and totally his.  The taller knight was still not comfortable with magic, though Arthur knew him well enough to see how hard he was trying to accept it.  It would, he thought, probably be better if Gwaine didn't continue with his constant goading.

"It wouldn't look like that for long," Merlin retorted.  "Sir Gwaine, the alpha knight bested by an omega.  They'd talk of it for years!"

"The worst omega ever," Arthur stage-whispered in Merlin's ear, then laughed at the mock-offended look he received in return.  Leon didn't laugh and Arthur belatedly realised that it was probably what Leon was thinking anyway, although not in jest.

"Gods, you two are sickening."  Gwaine drained the last of his ale, then called Elaine over for a refill.

"We don't have an endless supply of gold," Leon warned, watching the tankard filling up.  He covered his own when Elaine moved around the table. 

Arthur didn't need reminding of that particular problem.  There wasn't enough work in the village, although Gaius had been kept busy with endless requests for potions and remedies that Merlin had been helping him with.  The rest of them had very little to do.  It wasn't the harvesting or planting season, and nobody needed a swordsman.  Arthur had been raised to be king.  Leon and Gwaine had trained most of their lives to be knights.  The truth of the matter was, with those occupations taken away, Arthur didn't really know what else they could do.   

At some point he knew he would have to return to Camelot.  He couldn't stay away.  No matter what his father had done, he couldn't leave his beloved land and people to fall victim to Agravaine's greed and ambition.  Merlin had explained the dragon's prophecy to him, and once he'd got over the shock of it all Arthur had just become more determined to regain his rightful place and have his loyal friends reinstated.  But from a distance, with no news, it was difficult to make any plans.  He feared for Merlin's life if they dared go back across the border, and whatever he felt for Camelot and his duty to it, what he felt for Merlin was stronger.  If it came to it, he thought that he might try to leave Merlin behind, somewhere safe.  Though the more he saw of how powerful Merlin's magic was, the more he doubted his own ability to stop him doing anything that he didn't want to.  And he would never want to leave Arthur's side, particularly if he thought Arthur was putting himself in danger.  Almost as if Merlin knew what he was thinking, he turned and smiled fondly at Arthur.  It was wonderfully distracting from everything else and Arthur had to make a real effort to concentrate on what Leon was telling him.

"We need to find out what's happening in Camelot.  Perhaps the king will have relented," Leon said.  "I could go back and find out."

"And be executed as a traitor?  No, I won't risk you.  We stay together.  Father will see through Agravaine in time, he has to.  But you're right that we need information."

"I'll go to Tamworth," Gwaine told him.  "It's a busy place, people will know the latest news."

"You'll just sit in the taverns," Leon accused. 

Gwaine shrugged.  "Best place to find out what's going on."

"I'll come with you."  Leon got to his feet, then reached over and took the half-finished tankard of ale away from Gwaine, ignoring the indignant protest that provoked.  "Just to be sure.  You've had enough for one evening.  If we leave at first light we'll be there and back in a day."

"We should all go." Arthur started to get up, but Leon stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"You'll be recognised in a place that size.  Nobody is going to look twice at Gwaine and I."

"At you, maybe," Gwaine retorted, trying unsuccessfully to retrieve the tankard again.  Leon held it up out of reach.  

Arthur reluctantly accepted that Leon was right.  But he wondered how the pair of knights would survive a day without someone to stop them sparring.

\---

Morgana's concerns about the stranger she had seen Gwen talking to the previous day appeared to be well-founded.

His name was Lancelot, which Morgana thought was faintly ridiculous.  Gwen didn't appear to care.  Her usual cheerful nature had moved up a notch, she had come into Morgana's rooms that morning with a huge bunch of flowers, humming happily to herself and apparently unable to stop smiling.  It was a little nauseating, but when she mentioned this to Gwen the other girl just laughed.

"Oh, my lady, you'll like him when you meet him."

"Doubtless not as much as you do!"

"He's kind.  He carried water back to the cottage for me last night so that I could bathe.  That takes such a long time, and the buckets are very heavy.  And then he mended the back door so that it doesn't keep falling open.  And then he..."

Morgana held up a hand.  "He's obviously a saint.  Why is he here?"

"He wants to be a knight.  He's gone to the king to request it."

"Surely he isn't of noble birth?"

"Well... no.   But we're short of knights, since... what happened."

"Uther will never allow it.  He's as narrow-minded on that as everything else.  Your Lancelot is wasting his time."

That, at least, stopped Gwen's overly cheerful smile.  "He can still try.  There were more stories about that beast last night.  Apparently it attacked another village.  People say it's moving closer to   Camelot.  We surely need all the knights we can find."

"And you'd like him to stay.  You care for him."  It wasn't a question.  "Do you think he feels the same?"

"I'm sure he does!"

The way Gwen's face lit up again just at the thought of Lancelot was enough of an answer.  Sometimes her beta maidservant really did do an excellent impression of an omega.  It was a wonder she'd ever made it onto the staff of the royal household.  Still, with Arthur gone Morgana supposed the ban on omega personal servants would be lifted anyway.  Arthur didn't know how lucky he'd been, if he'd not encountered Merlin then the worst that would have happened to him was that some tasty omega princess in heat would have been put in front of him at an appropriate time.  Whereas Morgana was going to get another alpha, and not a young or attractive one either.  She envied Gwen.  From what she had seen, Lancelot was delicious.

"So when he leaves, if you can't find your brother then perhaps this Lancelot could be persuaded to escort us to Arthur?"

"I'll ask him," Gwen promised.  "But he's determined to become a knight of Camelot."

"Uther won't allow it," Morgana repeated.   "So standing at Arthur's side should be perfect for him.  The knights here will be weakened without Arthur or Leon to lead and train them."

There was a sharp rap on the door, and the familiar, unwelcome sound of Uther's manservant's voice sounded. 

"Princess Morgana, the king requests your presence.  He wishes to speak with you on the matter of your forthcoming marriage."

"There is no forthcoming marriage!" Morgana shouted back at the closed door.  "Tell him I won't see him until he accepts that!"

"Marriage?" Gwen gasped.

"Uther was here this morning.  He's given up on trying to make me accept him as my father, and is simply demanding I marry that vile little man.  So you see, exile with my brand new brother seems ever more appealing."

There was further rapping on the door.  "The king _insists_ that you attend!"

Morgana tried to ignore it, but knew she wouldn't be able to do so for long.  "Hurry.  Go and speak with your Lancelot, see if he will help us."  She glanced back at the door worriedly.  "I fear that I may be running out of time."

\---

 


	12. Percival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay in updating this. I've decided to stop adding in short chapters as part of the Camelot drabble weekly prompt, and write longer sections less often instead.
> 
> Thanks to Fififolle for the beta.

Tamworth was a busy place.

Gwaine had been there before and knew his way around.   Leon had never set foot in the place in his life, and although he would never admit it he was glad to have Gwaine's local knowledge. Even if that local knowledge mainly consisted of where the best (or worst, depending on your point of view) taverns could be found.

The first place they visited was possibly the worst tavern Leon had ever frequented. They had borrowed clothes so that they were no longer instantly recognisable as knights of Camelot, and therefore at risk of discovery, because the chances were that their descriptions would be widely circulated as companions to the missing prince. Even so, heads turned as they entered and there was that ominous silence that let them know everyone in that room had them marked down as newcomers before they had even opened their mouths.

Leon wisely let Gwaine do all the talking in that place. Gwaine had travelled widely before signing up as a knight of Camelot, and Leon supposed he would just go back to that lifestyle if they couldn't regain their position at court. He stood quietly, watching as Gwaine chattered easily to the suspicious innkeeper, asking after someone who had apparently worked there years before, that turned out to be the man's father. He must have passed some kind of test because the conversation around them bubbled back up again and they were no longer the subject of much curious interest. Gwaine got very little information from anyone there, but that was hardly surprising. Leon could tell just by looking at it that nobody in that place would ever have anything to do with anyone in Camelot except possibly to pick their pockets. He studied the thick layer of scum on the ale he had bought and wondered just how ill they would be by the time they had finished touring Gwaine's dubious old haunts.

"Next stop, The Flying Horse!" Gwaine announced cheerfully when they got outside.

That sounded far too magical for Leon's liking, but he followed anyway. He had a suspicion that Gwaine might just think it was amusing to drag him around the worst places possible.

In fact, The Flying Horse (which wasn't called The Flying Horse at all, it had no name that Leon could see and Gwaine was not as funny as he thought he was) was quite a decent establishment with a better class of clientele. Feeling far more comfortable, Leon ordered them a couple of tankards of ale then headed out to the toilet. Gwaine was already deep in conversation with a vast giant of a man when Leon returned to their table. Possibly deep wasn't the correct word, but they were certainly getting along well.

"...then he said, it's not a _real_ chastity device and I said well that's okay because I'm not a _real_ priest!"

The huge man thought that was hilarious and Leon decided he didn't want to know any more about that particular story.

"Leon! This is Percival. Order him a drink, would you?"

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Gwaine to get it himself, but that would mean he'd have to make conversation with Gwaine's new friend while Gwaine was distracted so he sat down and signalled to the girl who was very, very slowly making her way around the tables that they'd like another mug of ale.

"Percival's just come back from Camelot," Gwaine explained, and suddenly Percival was far more interesting. "His friend's still there. They were hoping to sign up as knights but Uther's still insisting they all have to be of noble birth."

"To uphold the standards of chivalry," Leon agreed, and Gwaine kicked him under the table.

"Any decent person can be chivalrous," he pointed out.

"Lancelot, the man I was travelling with, is more chivalrous than anyone I've ever met," Percival told them, but didn't venture anything more than that.

"This Lancelot is still in Camelot," Gwaine said. "He's not given up hope of being a knight. Apparently there's a shortage at the moment. Prince Arthur's run off with a sorcerer, and his two best knights went with them. Scandalous! Apparently it's the most interesting thing one of the knights has ever done!"

"Unsurprising, as I hear that knight spends all of his time drinking in taverns and was the worst knight in all Camelot as a result."

"Drinking sharpens the mind. See how it's sharpened your wit? Who knew it even existed?"

"I wouldn't expect _you_ to know anything."

Percival regarded them both, then asked: "Is Prince Arthur here with you, in Tamworth?"

"What if he is?"

"Gwaine!" Leon protested, but Gwaine just shrugged and waited for an answer.

"There's a bounty on the omega's head," Percival told him. "A good one. A man could live well on that much money."

"A man like you?"

"Never. I earn my money honestly. Perhaps, if this Arthur is ever king, he'll consider noble deeds over noble birth when he knights a man? Or is he cut from the same cloth as his father?"

"Arthur will be a great king," Leon told him and for once Gwaine simply nodded agreement. "But he isn't here."

Percival didn't say anything, just looked at them both.

"His omega is a common servant," Gwaine told him eventually. "I think he would prove a fairer ruler than his father."

Leon wasn't sure there was anything common about Merlin, but he kept that opinion to himself. "We've sacrificed a great deal to remain at Arthur's side. Tell me why we should trust you?"

Percival looked at him as if he'd just asked the oddest question. "I'm an honest man," was all he said.

And strangely enough, Leon believed him.

\---

Morgana sat stony-faced throughout the meal her _father_... and she would never get used to thinking of Uther Pendragon as that, so... the _king_ insisted she sit through with him. Servants put food before her, but she barely touched it. All she was conscious of, all the time, was the way Lord Agravaine kept watching her.

It made her flesh crawl.

Days ago, she had thought there could be nothing worse than discovering her beloved mother had been unfaithful to Gorlois, and that the father she adored was never more than a guardian to her. She was wrong. Uther had declared that there would be a wedding before the next full moon and no amount of protests on her part would sway him. It didn't help that Agravaine was always there at Uther's side, never giving her a moment alone with the king to plead the fact that she found the man quite repellent. And the more she watched the two of them together, the more certain she was that Arthur had been right and the king was under some form of enchantment.

Morgana knew little of magic. She knew it was something to be feared and hidden away. She knew that she was herself in some way tainted with it, that the dreams she had were more than that because what they showed so often became true. She knew that if the king ever realised what she was, even though she barely understood it herself, she would be replacing her brother's omega on that pyre and there would be nobody left who was powerful enough or cared enough to save her.

Agravaine gave her a sparse, tight smile. It never reached his eyes. She didn't think she had ever seen him really smile, as if he were genuinely pleased about something. Not like Arthur, who could laugh long and hard, throwing his head back because he was real and open and honest. Sometimes she had been the butt of those jokes, but she could give as good as she got so it didn't matter. This was different. Agravaine had the upper hand, and he knew it. The way he looked at her, it was almost as if he knew what she was. She shook the feeling away, as he couldn't possibly.

"This creature," Uther was saying. "It's killed everyone who has tried to stand against it. Seven villages now have been attacked. There are reports that it is some monstrous thing, half-bird, half-beast."

Agravaine nodded. "It is clearly a creature born of magic, Uther. It's almost as if... but no, that couldn't be."

"Couldn't be what? Tell me!" Uther demanded.

And there was that sly look again, half-masked by fake concern. "Well, it's only that it seems such a coincidence that there should be a known sorcerer with cause to hate Camelot just as this magical beast appears. But I don't feel it could possibly be the prince's omega, because surely Arthur would have him under control? And Arthur would never turn against you."

"Arthur turned against me the moment he threw in his lot with that sorcerer!" Uther snarled. "Of course it's them. That my own son could so turn against me, turn against his own people..."

"We don't know that it's Arthur," Morgana protested. "There have been many magical attacks on the kingdom in the past. Your hatred of magic makes Camelot a target. Any magic user knows that we have no defences. Arthur's omega could have protected the kingdom if you'd let him stay. This wouldn't be happening!" She got up, knowing she was about to be dismissed for speaking out of turn anyway and wanting to leave on her own terms. "Arthur would never turn against Camelot. Never."

Uther glared at her. Apparently the period where he was being as kind as possible due to the unpalatable truth about her parentage was over. "The sooner this wedding takes place, the better. You'll obey your husband even if you won't obey me. That kind of talk is treason. Go."

Agravaine got to his feet, gave a short bow to the king, and followed her.

"Morgana, my dear."

She walked faster. If she could have run without losing dignity she would have done so.

"Wait a moment, I have something for you."

"Really you have nothing I could possibly want," she called back, not even turning her head.

Somehow he managed to catch up with her.

"I said wait. Unless you want Uther to know your secret."

He couldn't possibly know. She told herself that over and over and fought to keep the panic out of her face and voice. "My secret? What secret can that possibly be? I have no secret. It was the king, and my mother, they were the ones with the secret."

That sly smile again. How she hated it. "Your mother had another secret. Did you know she was a magic user? You must suspect, surely?"

Morgana just shook her head, still not convinced that he wasn't just fishing.

"Of course you are loyal to her memory. Admirable. I apologise, it must sound as if I'm running her down."

"She was a good woman. And has no means to defend herself now."

Agravaine gave a little bow. "Of course. Let me make amends." He drew a small box from his pocket. "This is for you. A token of my regard." When Morgana made no move to take it, he opened the box.   It contained a golden pendant with a single green stone. "It will match your eyes. Please," he held it up. "Take it."

"I don't..."

"Take it."

There was something compelling about his voice as he said those last two words, and she found herself reaching out involuntarily and closing her hand over the stone.

For a moment it felt curiously warm, and then she was dropping it, her hand stinging as though the stone had burned it.

"Ah." Agravaine bent to pick it up.   "Interesting."

"What did you do?"

"Me? Nothing. These are used to test for magic in some parts of the world. A minor user feels the stone to be slightly warm to the touch. A normal response is to feel that it is quite hot. Only the more powerful warlocks... and _witches_... feel it burn their skin."

"I just dropped it, I was clumsy."

"Yes, that's what normally happens. Show me your hand."

Reluctantly, Morgana uncurled her fingers. There was, of course, a tell-tale burn. Small and faint because she had dropped the amulet so fast, but it was definitely there.

"Ah," Agravaine repeated. "Interesting.   The king will be deeply disappointed to learn that both his children have betrayed him with magic."

"I've done nothing!" Morgana snarled. "Nothing!"

"And he will see it that way, of course." He paused, then added: "It's not as if he were willing to burn your brother along with his omega, is it? And so, unless you would prefer me to take this to Uther, perhaps we should discuss our wedding?"

Morgana gave an involuntary shudder at the thought. "Why would you want someone who you believe has magic?"

Agravaine smiled. "You're the heir to the throne, Morgana Pendragon. Your husband will be king. _I_ will be king. If you weren't already... and you are, of course... then that alone would make you very attractive. And think on it. If we ruled Camelot we could remove the ban on magic. You wouldn't have to hide any more."

That last part, at least, was tempting. Not tempting enough, but she was starting to wonder if she had any choice.

He seemed to take her silence for acceptance, and held out his arm. "Shall we return to the king? My dear?" When she hesitated, he added: "I shall return anyway. It's up to you what it is that I tell him."

No choice then. She reluctantly took his arm, feeling her flesh creep as she did so, wondering how long it would be before she had a chance to get away.

\---

It was the waiting around that was the worst.

Arthur had been half-tempted to follow Leon and Gwaine anyway, heavily disguised, but eventually decided against it. With nothing to do he took the opportunity to spend time alone with Merlin and get to know him better.

Getting to know him better soon led to them going back to their room and staying there, taking advantage of the fact that the others would be away for a while. Much later Arthur held Merlin close as the last sunlight of the day filtered in through the window, both of them tired and contented.

"I still know very little about you," Arthur admitted, carding his fingers through Merlin's short, curling hair. "Tell me about yourself. What did you do before you came to Camelot? You came from Ealdor? In Cenred's kingdom? What's it like there?"

"It's a small village."

"Like this one?"

Merlin gave a short huff of a laugh. "Nothing like it! This would be a huge, prosperous town in comparison. We were very poor. When I came to Camelot that was the first time I had my own room, regular food, and working for you I was going to have money of my own. You really did take up with a peasant, Arthur, just like your father said."

"Not any more."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Is being an outlaw really any better?"

"We're not outlaws. Father will see reason."

"The same way he accepted me as your mate? It doesn't seem very likely."

"I'll find a way to get through to my father.   Agravaine won't be able to fool him forever."

Merlin looked at him sadly. "Oh Arthur. He will, if he's using magic."

"But you're stronger than him. We could sneak in and you could overpower him and then I could try to talk some sense into my father."

"It's unlikely to be that easy. He was using a charm, so he's probably not actually got magic himself. I didn't sense it from him."

"You can sense other magic users?"

"Usually."

Arthur couldn't help laughing at that. "All this time, father was so concerned about finding out whether there were sorcerers in Camelot. He could have just employed you to sniff them all out!"

"He could," Merlin agreed sagely, then glared at Arthur, rapping him on the head with his knuckles. "Except for the whole business of sorcery being illegal and the fact that when I'd finished he'd have me killed too! Idiot!"

That didn't stop Arthur laughing, despite the fact that after what had nearly happened to the pair of them it wasn't really funny.

"That's going to be your official title when I'm king. Court Sorcery Sniffer. Did your dragon tell you about that?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "No. But then he didn't tell me what a clotpole you can be either." It was said fondly, and Arthur tried not to wonder at the insulting names that seemed to be turning into terms of endearment between them.

Arthur was still desperately curious about the dragon, and the prophecy about himself. He wondered how he could have lived at the castle all his life and never seen the beast. Part of him wanted to go back just to see it for himself and hear what it had to say. But mostly he wanted to go back to regain his father's good favour, unlikely as that was with Merlin in tow. Arthur would never give up either of them, but he knew in his heart that even if he managed to show Agravaine up for what he was, Uther was never going to welcome Merlin at Camelot.

"How does the dragon say I'm going to bring back magic?" he asked. "I mean, if he can see the future, surely he could see that we'd be exiled? He didn't give you any clues about how we get around that?"

"He can be a bit cryptic," Merlin admitted, then added in a deep voice: "There are some things you can only find for yourself, young warlock..."

"That's just a fancy way of saying he doesn't know," Arthur pointed out. Then he thought about it. "Young _warlock_?"

"Um... that's what he calls me. It's just another word for sorcerer."

"Strange title for an omega. But I like it."

"Mmm, you would, it probably conjures up images of battles. Magic isn't supposed to be all about fighting, you know?"

"I know. And war is about defence as well as offence, did _you_ know? And..." Arthur sat up, suddenly seeing everything far more clearly. "That's what we'll do. We won't try to raise an army and storm the castle. We'll sneak in quietly, just a few of us. Can you shield us? Make it as if we weren't there?"

"Possibly. Probably. I'll need to research a spell."

"Good. That's good. Gaius can help you. Perhaps some of Edmund's family can too. And if it's as you say and Agravaine doesn't have magic in his own right then he'll be no match for you. We can take him, find what he's done to my father and then you can reverse it."

"Spells, especially from charms, can't always be reversed," Merlin warned. "And he may have someone there at Camelot with him, helping him."

It was a possibility, Arthur knew. "We'll have to risk it. Come on, get dressed, you've got spell research to do."

He wished Merlin wouldn't look quite so disappointed. It was really distracting.

\---

Morgana kept her head held high as she stood before Uther. She would do as Agravaine said for now, but was all the more determined to get out of there as fast as she could.

There was something unnatural about Uther's face when he smiled. It was as if something alien had crawled across his features and briefly tried to settle there. It didn't suit him.

"I hoped you'd see reason, Morgana. You're a sensible girl, you'll be a great queen."

Not trusting herself to speak, Morgana merely inclined her head. It was taking everything she had not to rage at the pair of them. An alpha through and through, quiet acquiescence did not sit well with her. And marriage to a beta... which she was sure Agravaine must be because surely no alpha could put on such an act of subservience to the king for so long. Uther liked to surround himself with betas, they were no threat and normally made the most learned advisors. Morgana could see the reason in that, but it wasn't what she'd wanted in a mate. She had hoped for either a strong alpha like herself, someone she could respect as an equal, or a gentle omega with a sweet scent and total devotion to her. How she envied Arthur that.

"We thought the wedding could be in three days hence," Agravaine said smoothly. "It would be a joyous occasion for the people. Take their minds off recent... unfortunate events."

"Is this your wish too, Morgana?"

Agravaine lifted his hand as though he were reaching for something in his pocket.

"Yes."

Agravaine's hand stilled. Morgana wondered if burning might not be preferable. Then he continued the motion and drew out another pendant, similar to the first.

"This is indeed a joyous day. How happy my dear sister would have been to see this. Please, dearest Morgana, accept this token of my affection."

Morgana flinched, eyes wide. He couldn't reveal her now, not without losing his own chance at the throne. This one, she supposed, would have to be safe. Still she barely suppressed a shudder as he fastened it around her neck.

There was no burning sensation, thankfully. And she thought that the vaguely uncomfortable feel of it around her neck was simply down to the person who had given it to her and what it represented.

She hoped Gwen had managed to persuade her Lancelot to help them. If she hadn't, Morgana was going to take her chances and escape that night without help. It had to be better than the alternative.

She would rest first though. The events of the day were leaving her feeling really quite tired.

\---

It was late when Leon and Gwaine returned, and they weren't alone. They were accompanied by a huge bear of a man whose threatening size was completely at odds with his gentle manner. Arthur liked the newcomer instantly, moreso when he discovered that the man brought news from Camelot. None of it was good news though.

"As we feared, the lady Morgana has been made Uther's heir," Leon reported before they'd even left the stables.

"She's his _daughter!_ " Gwaine added, rubbing his hands together in the chill of the night air.

"What?" Arthur stopped dead still, looking at them both in turn.

"Your half-sister," Leon confirmed.

"Who knew the old boy had it in him?" Gwaine grinned. Arthur glared at him, but Gwaine just shrugged and looked unrepentant.

"Let's get inside," Leon said quickly. "It was a long ride. I'm freezing."

Arthur didn't really care how cold it was after a shock like that, but he walked in with the others, feeling more than a little dazed.

"Are you all right?" Merlin whispered as they all settled around a table. Gaius and Edmund had joined them.

Arthur nodded briefly, but he could see from Merlin's concerned look that his mate wasn't convinced. Sometimes that bond was going to be tiresome, he realised. Nothing could be completely hidden any more. Still, after a revelation like that Merlin probably didn't need their bond to tell him Arthur would be upset.    

Merlin sat very close, leaning into Arthur. Arthur was glad of the warmth and reassuring contact, because Gwaine's revelation had sent a chill through him. Morgana was older than he was. Did that mean his father had been less than faithful to Arthur's mother, to the woman he had always professed to love above all others? Arthur wasn't sure. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember how long his parents had been married.

Leon and Gwaine were talking, with the occasional word or two from Percival. Arthur couldn't concentrate on any of it, unable to think of anything except the revelation his two knights had returned with. This was worse than learning about Merlin's magic, more shocking because it turned everything he had ever known upside down.

"Arthur?" Merlin whispered a little more urgently. "Arthur!"

They were all looking at him expectantly, and he realised that he must have been asked a question.

"There's a griffin attacking the towns and villages of Camelot, Sire," Gaius told him.

"What's a griffin?"

"A creature of magic. From Percival's description, that's what it sounds as if it must be. Those things have the body of a lion and the wings and head of an eagle. Without magic it would be impossible to stop it so I imagine your father has his hands full at the moment. Whatever charm Agravaine is using won't have any effect on it. It may possibly be actually attracting it to the castle. Apparently it's heading that way."

"There may be no Camelot for us to return to," Leon put in. "If the tales of the destruction this thing has wrought are even half true there's no way to stop it."

"Oh, there's a way," Gaius told them. "But Uther would need a sorcerer at his side, and all he has is a charlatan who has purchased some powerful magic. Agravaine's source, whoever he or she may be, is probably their only hope of defeating the creature. But it's unlikely Agravaine would want to reveal his sorcerer's existence and risk proving Arthur's accusation to be correct. That could break whatever enchantment it is that he has over Uther, no matter how powerful it is."

"So Agravaine's in just as much danger as the rest of Camelot?" Arthur said. "Perhaps this creature will do us a favour and kill him and we can go home?"

Gaius sighed. "Unfortunately it's more likely that the creature will kill the king. Agravaine is no fighter, unlike your father. When the knights are depleted, and without you there to lead them, Uther will take it upon himself to lead the attack. Your father is many things, but a coward is not one of them. He will defend Camelot with his last breath."

"And then Agravaine, married to my _sister_..." Arthur couldn't help the bitterness in his voice as he spoke that word.

"Will take the throne, yes. At that point he can safely call in his accomplice and have the griffin destroyed."

"Making him a hero," Arthur spat disgustedly. "All those people that it kills would mean nothing to him."

Leon leaned forward, lowering his voice even though there was nobody close enough to hear. "So do you think he asked his sorcerer to summon this creature? That it's his fault people are dying?"

"It's quite possible," Gaius admitted.

"And if we go up against it we'd stand no chance?"

"Oh, we'd win," Gwaine told him confidently. He tore a small chunk of bread off the piece on his plate and flicked it at Merlin, ignoring the growl from Arthur that provoked. "We've got our own sorcerer."

Arthur tried not to feel angry with Gwaine for his over-familiar attitude towards _Arthur's_ mate. He favoured the knight with an angry glare, but Gwaine just shrugged.

"He's powerful, Arthur. You're all about fighting, but that's the strongest weapon we've got. If you're embracing magic now... and it looks like you are, literally... then take it for what it is. Your omega there's bonded to you. If what you say about your escape is true then that's really powerful magic and it's yours to command. Agravaine's charms don't stand a chance."

"It _is_ yours," Merlin whispered almost shyly. "Totally." Then he added, more confidently, "We should go back before it's too late. You're the rightful heir. You have to be king one day."

Arthur knew it was unlikely they would change his father's mind any time soon, but he hated the idea of leaving Camelot to its fate. "Do you know how to stop the creature?"

Merlin gave him a small, almost embarrassed smile. "No. But I'll find a way."

"What if he goes into heat again?" Leon pointed out. "Gaius had to stop it last time." He looked at the old physician. "Isn't it true that it could flare up again at any time now because of that? What if it happens just as we get back to Camelot and he loses his magic?"

"It's a risk," Gaius agreed. "There's no way of telling what could happen. But from what you've told me," he nodded to Arthur, "in that state Merlin becomes Arthur's to command. Quite frightening, really. In the wrong hands that sort of power could be badly abused."

"Arthur would never abuse it," Merlin put in quickly, and Arthur was touched by how defensive and protective that sounded. "Never."

"Of course not," Gaius continued. "But another might. What if there's another omega magic user out there? What if they were bonded to an alpha with far less scruples than Arthur?"

"Lucky that old Agravaine's a beta," Gwaine grinned. "Otherwise we'd be worried!"

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "Indeed." And then he looked pointedly at Arthur. "We would."

"We've just assumed he's a beta," Arthur said slowly. "It's the impression he gave."

"Your father would be more likely to trust a beta. A beta would appear to be less of a threat. And," Gaius paused, obviously unsure whether to continue with whatever else he wanted to say.

"Say it. Whatever's concerning you. Tell us," Arthur urged.

"He's apparently going to be wed to Morgana."

"Who's no omega," Leon put in. "The lady Morgana could never be anything but an alpha."

"Morgana is many things," Gauis told them. "Including, yes, a very strong alpha. She's also a magic user, though has little idea of this herself as yet." He put up a hand to silence Leon, who had given a gasp of disbelief.

"My sister, a witch... what else are you going to tell me about her?" Arthur sighed. "It's as if I never knew her at all." But he found himself accepting it fairly calmly. Compared to every other revelation that had taken place in the past week, Morgana's apparent magical abilities were quite minor.

"Perhaps you didn't."

"Anyway, she's still an alpha," Gwaine insisted. "He can't control her."

"He can," Merlin whispered. "He will. He does." He gazed at Gaius in horror. "That's what the dragon meant."

"What?" Arthur frowned, puzzled. "What did it say?" He couldn't see how the great destiny Merlin said that the dragon had foretold had anything to do with Morgana. And it certainly didn't have anything to do with Agravaine, other than making sure he was removed from any position of power as soon as possible.

"What dragon?" Leon asked but nobody answered him.

"It suggested that Morgana could, possibly..." Gaius began reluctantly.

"She could be your downfall," Merlin told him. "The witch would be better dead, that was what he said."

"Merlin!" Gaius snapped.

"Well, he did."

"If," Gaius looked to Arthur, but not before giving Merlin one of those looks which had always slightly terrified Arthur as a child. Actually, he thought, that stern, disapprovingly raised eyebrow probably still did. " _If_ she travelled a particular path, took a certain destiny."

"A destiny at Agravaine's side!" Merlin carried on regardless.

"It sounds more like enslavement," Leon pointed out. "If she doesn't want the marriage, and he forces her to use whatever magic she might have... that isn't any sort of destiny and it's not at his side. It's sorcery. The lady Morgana would _never_ turn against Arthur."

"Leon's right." Arthur tried to put aside his annoyance that Merlin hadn't told him this aspect of the dragon's premonitions. They were supposed to be honest with each other, no more secrets. "If we go now, put a stop to Agravaine's plans..." He looked to Percival. "Morgana definitely hasn't consented to the marriage?"

"Not when I left. Lancelot, the man I was travelling with, he was friendly with her maid. Gwen told him the lady hated the idea."

"So we go back, Merlin can kill the griffin, then we stop Agravaine and save Morgana from whatever he's planning for her. Even if she has to leave with us afterwards, it's got to be better than staying there." It was reassuring to see that all his companions were nodding agreement. "We'll leave at first light."

"You're assuming I know _how_ to kill the griffin," Merlin pointed out. "And we don't know what sort of spell he's used on Morgana. There's an omega charm..."

"She's an alpha," Arthur reminded him.

"Sire, the omega charm is _for_ alphas," Gaius told him. "It bends them to another alpha's will. Just as you were able to order Merlin to use his magic, so will Agravaine be able to command Morgana. It has... other, even less palatable uses. Particularly if Morgana is unwilling to be wed."

Leon swore under his breath, and got to his feet. "We should leave right now!"

"Sit down," Arthur told him. "We're all sickened by this, but we have to wait until morning. It's dark, you and Gwaine have been riding all day. We'll travel faster in daylight and after you're rested. And apparently Merlin needs to research a spell to kill the griffin."

"And to break the omega charm, if that's what he's going to be using on Morgana," Gaius agreed. He got up. "Come on, my boy. I won't be going with you, I'll slow you down. So let's not waste time."

Arthur watched a little regretfully as Merlin and Edmund followed Gaius out. He had a feeling he wouldn't see Merlin again until morning.

"There's the king to consider as well," Gwaine pointed out. "He's still under Agravaine's influence."

"Perhaps he has one of those... what was it? Omega charms?" Leon offered, and Gwaine almost choked on his ale. "What?"

"I'd like to see that! Uther Pendragon being... No, actually I wouldn't. Forget I said that, Arthur!"

Arthur had to know, though he was fairly sure that he wasn't going to like the answer. "Being what, Gwaine? You've obviously come across these things. What do they do? It's more than Gaius said, isn't it?"

"It won't be an omega charm on the king," Gwaine assured him. "Someone would notice. Honestly, I've seen those things. He wouldn't be fit to rule."

Arthur wasn't entirely sure his father _was_ fit to rule, given some of the decisions he'd made. "Come on, Gwaine. Even if it hasn't affected my father, Gaius seems to think it's going to be used on Morgana. What, exactly, does it do?"

Gwaine glanced at Leon a little apprehensively. "It simulates an omega heat to make the victim more compliant. It's devastating for an alpha because we're not used to losing control like that. It puts them effectively in heat for days and they just can't help themselves. The king... Arthur, don't even think it because honestly, he _can't_ have used that on the king. I'm not the only knight who grew up outside Camelot's laws. Someone else would have recognised what was happening. It would be too big a risk for Agravaine to take at this stage."

It was also something Arthur really, _really_ didn't want to think about as far as his father was concerned. The consequences for Morgana were bad enough. Ignoring the fact she was apparently his sister, because that was still just too much for him to get his head around, they'd grown up together and even if they weren't exactly friends he wasn't going to let something like that happen to her.   And besides, Arthur wasn't one to run from a battle. Camelot was his birthright, and he wasn't going to let anyone take that from him.

"We need to go back," was all he said. "At first light, we ride."

\---

 


End file.
